Who Said Love Don't Cost A Thing!
by Cassandra Flavius
Summary: Serena simply hates a certain male character… What's wrong with him? Hasn't she been rude in enough already, what does it take for her to get rid of him?
1. Chapter 1: Brunch In London

**Foreword:** This story was written around year 2001. It was my first fan fiction ever, so you'll have to excuse me for the crappy story. I felt that there was no point in editing it… just to show that everyone was young and stupid once! The reason I'm posting it now is that I want to keep all my fan fictions in one place, and is a pretty comfortable place to have them in

**Disclaimers:** Sailor Moon is NOT mine! Although I wish I owned her,she belongs to loads of people (including Darien/Mamuro/ Tuxie)! Ifyou think I'm making money on this, go ahead and sue me; I'll beextremely happy to donate my 15 cents and my old backpack!

**Author's Note:** This fan fiction does not follow any of the episodesin the "real" Sailor Moon Anime/Manga. Ok so, I've also made some changes in the names of some people and invented some new characters, if you don't mind. Since I don't know any "normal" guys that go out with Lita or Mina, like Greg to Amy and Chad to Raye, I optioned by using the Generals! But they can't live in a normal society with all those weird names so I normalized them slightly:

Serena to Darien (--)

Amy to Zachary (Zoisite)

Raye to Joachim/Kim (Jadeite)

Lita to Nicolas/Nick (Nephrite)

Mina to Mario (Malachite)

Haruka to Michiru (--)

Trista to Andrew (you know who that is… Let's say he broke up with Rita)

Hutaru to Peter (invented)

Ok, so let me think is there is any thing else… Ages: In this story Serena is 23, like the rest of the Inner Scouts. Haruka is 25, Michiru is 27, Trista is 29, and Hutaru is 15. The guys are (in order from Serena to Hutaru, see list above) 29, 26, 27, 25, 29, 30, 16 and a half. The setting is in London, and since I've only been to a couple of times I don't know every single corner or shop! In fact I've only see the famous sites of the city… So forgive me for that! Enough of my chattering, I bet you're bored to death, on with the show!

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**Chapter One: Brunch in London **

Serena had finally accepted the Brunch in invitation by her friends. For many weeks she had been composing her thesis and working on university assignments, as well as trying to keep up with her two jobs. This was a time of great pressure for Serena because she could not quit any of her jobs nor drop a class for she was in her last year of university. But this Saturday she decided to have fun with her friends, as she didn't have too many assignments. They all joined to have brunch at an American Café nearby. She felt especially happy that all friends were present, and at the same time guilty that she was usually the one missing almost every Saturday. As it was spring they were sitting outside around an oval plastic table.

Amy sat on the lap of her recently married to husband, Zachary, he held her closely as she hugged him by the neck. They were at the end of one of the sides of the table, and behind the two was a wall of rose bushes; they looked extremely cute together! Across Amy and Simon

was Lita, she was busy making some sandwiches from the toasts, ham, cheese, and marmalade which were brought be the waiter. Beside the couple sat Raye who was stuffing Lita's delicious sandwiches. At her side was her newest boyfriend, Chad, he was starring at her and from time to time hugged or caressed her. At the end of the table next to Chad sat Joachim, he was unusually quiet and had been like that ever since he broke up with Raye, a year and a half ago. Lita's husband (whom she'd been married to for five years now), Nick, sat crosswise Raye and was engaged in a wrestling match with Serena who was sitting beside him. The one seat across of Joachim, in the other end of the table was empty.

The April's breeze was a bit chilly, carrying the sweet smell of roses. The atmosphere was very calm, friendly, and light! Serena felt that nothing could put her down on such a beautiful day! Just as it was, the hinges of the gates of the café opened slowly. Lita, Raye, and Amy turned their gases to the person who had just entered. Serena, who had her back faced to the newcomer, could make out that behind her was probably a drop-dead gorgeous man. This was because of the envious looks in the guy's faces! She could sense Nick's free hand hug Lita possessively, and decided to turn around to see WHAT exactly was behind her.

The man was tall and broad shouldered; no doubt that under his grey pull over and wasted blue jeans that there were some well developed muscles! His hair was pitch-black with bangs up to the eyes, which were cobalt blue. That was a most unusual combination of hair to eye

color, considered very aristocratic. He must've been one of the high-society Londoners and you could tell that by the way he acted and looked upon other people. What would such a high society person be doing in a plain old America Café? Apparently he had started to wonder how it was to me "normal" and decided to try it out…He settled himself by a small round table of wood just beside Serena's table; the waiter soon came to attend him.

"I would like to have a One Person Brunch Menu," he said after having read the menu. The laughter and conversation at Serena's table faded as they watched the "gorgeous" man that had just arrived. The only ones still engaged in a former activity were Serena and Nick.

"Certainly, Sir," the waiter confirmed, "But payments are done in advance."

"Do you accept Visa Cards?"

"I'm, sorry; we don't have a machine…"

"Then I'll give you a check."

"I'm afraid—''

"No, you're not afraid, you accept checks and no comment," the man said firmly.

"Certainly," nodded the waiter with his head lowered, as he received the check and went to get the order.

When Serena noticed the waiter's submission she turned around to protest against the action, but her friends knew her all too well. Just as she turned around Joachim grabbed her left arm pushing it firmly to the table, and Nick covered her mouth with his free hand. She then set her wrestling hand free and snatched Nick's arm from her mouth. At the same instant their eyes met, her light blue eyes shone with anger and her lips were stubbornly pressed against each other. As for him, he simply looked amazed and a faint smile was inhabited his lips. 'How dare that hippo smile at me like that,' Serena thought grimly. Her friends knew that pretty soon she would explode and that they had to do something to stop it, and fast.

"Come on, Serena; don't say you chickened out of the match," started Nick, "You probably already know that you're going to lose anyway…"

"Ha, me lose?" she reattributed mockingly, "Against you? You've got to be kidding!"

"So you want to try you luck again?" Nick continued.

"You're on! Let me see what YOU'VE got!" she responded. The game ended just a few minutes later when Serena pressed Nick arm against the table.

"Hey, Serena, is that the only thing you can do?" Chad interfered.

"What the hell do you mean? I can do lots of darn things!"

"Yeah, I guess so," Chad teased, "…Like saying 'Oh, I broke my nail' or how about standing in front of the mirror for two hours trying to chose a dress?" you could feel that Serena's brain had started to heat and was close to it's boiling point.

"Oh, yeah?" she answered back, "What can you do that so much better? Spend your freakin' money with bitches? You mean that's better? Give me a break!"

"Why don't you and I have some real wrestling match, if you think you're so high up?"

"Fine with me."

"Uh-oh," pronounced Amy.

"Raye…" Lita tried to warn Raye.

"Sweetheart I—" Raye made an attempt to stop her boyfriend.

Serena and Chad walked to up to an empty grass area where, they would have enough space for a real "man to man" fight! They stood in different ends waiting for each other to make that first move. Finally Chad, tired of waiting ran towards Serena, making his first move. He punched Serena as hard as he could but she dodged all of them easily. This was the result of having taken Kong Fu classes some years ago. Chad then tried to kick Serena, but that was easily dodged too! Full of embarrassment he postured himself like a bull and galloped towards Serena. She on the other hand waited still until he was almost going to crash into her and then she suddenly moved a step to the side and let Chad fall. He turned red with shame lastly he stood up and with his last bit of dignity he went back to his seat.

Raye tried to comfort her boyfriend but calling her friend for stupid and ignorant. Serena too, went back to her seat. The laughter of her friends soon rose again, while she noticed a bunch of sandwiches. She couldn't resist the sensation and begun to stuff them into her stomach! Minutes later she begun to feel as if she was being watched, she stopped eating. Everyone was staring at her; she looked at Simon in hope of receiving an answer for this reaction. They were all familiar with her adoration for food, why would they be staring at her now? Simon simply turned his eyes towards the table behind Serena.

"You're such a stupid air-headed girl," said Chad evilly, it was time for revenge… as far as he knew, "You don't even notice when a man is interested in you!"

"Look, Dude, I was occupied with another more important thing!" she answered rudely.

"Yeah, eating! That is soo important for you! No wonder you're soooo FAT!" he remarked pleased.

In an impulse Serena lifted and jar of full of juice that was in front of her and turned it over Chad's head. Everyone was shocked, especially Chad. He was wet and sticky from head to waist. Serena sat down pleased, and smiled innocently at the others. With this done, Chad

violently stood up and giving no apologies he left the café. Suddenly Raye burst out laughing followed by Serena and Joachim, then the whole group including the man in the table behind. Serena noticed the man laughing and stood up to stand behind Joachim; she leaned on his back making him put his arms around her back. 'I'm sorry for using you this time Kim, but that man has to know that I don't give a damn about him!' she thought.

"Oops, sorry, Raye, but you still got Kim, here!" she joked.

"Oh yeah, don't worry he was just a toy thing, anyway," Raye admitted.

"Where did you meet the idiot?" Serena asked.

"He is a model, like me, we were taking pictures for this summer's swimsuits—''

"Swimsuits!" yelled Lita brightly, "I saw this really smooth bikini, but Nick said that it is too exposing."

"Really, Lita, don't you think that you should think about more decent suit?" Raye joked, "I mean, you're married and all."

"Hey, I'm only twenty-three!" Lita exclaimed.

"Yeah, I think that people should be free to wear whatever they want," added Serena.

"You and Lita are just two opposites, when ever you buy clothes like swimsuits you choose the covering ones when you should be wearing a tiny bikini!" pronounced Nick who was automatically hit by his wife but still continued, "You aren't married, not widowed, nor have

you ever had a boyfriend since you came to London! And you still act so Islamic… even Amy has a bikini!"

"Hey," said Simon silently, "My Amy is not to be compared with—"

"That's exactly why I never want to have a darn boyfriend! I don't want to be a property of some guy who didn't even take part in my birth," Serena defended herself.

"That's a very pessimistic point of view you got there…" interfered the man in the wooden table.

"Too bad!" she said carelessly, "As far as I know, I have to complete my education before I start thing about such pointless things."

"Love is not pointless," Joachim exclaimed.

"Of course it is," Serena said tearing her arms away from him, and going back to her seat.

"You, Guy, why don't join our table," said Raye looking for a way to attract the man. She knew his attention was totally concentrated on Serena but it didn't matter to her.

"Sure thing," he said casually, "The name is Darien by the way!"

"Yuck, Raye, are you out or you mind?" yelled Serena with disgust, "You expect me to sit in the same table as a person who has the manners of a… a pig towards a waiter? No way girlfriend, I have more important stuff to do!"

"Oh come on, I don't see anything wrong with that…" said Lita.

"Well, I'd better go then, because pigs are not my favorite type of company," she responded, "Besides, I can at least make better use of my time by finishing my assignments!"

"Fine then go, you little irritating brat!" shouted Raye.

"Bye, then," she said finally.

"Bye, see ya around," echoed everyone else after her.

Then she left the café, walking with self-confidence without turning her head back. Darien was completely dazzled by that girl; she was completely different from the other women he had met before. He had to know everything about her.

End of this chapter!


	2. Chapter 2: Unwelcome Visitor

Sorry about the spacing... i'm trying to do something about it...

Thanks for reviewing!

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Chapter Two: Unwelcome Visitor

It was a Saturday around two o'clock p.m.; Serena was cleaning her apartment. The apartment was a small one; it had a tiny kitchen, a bedroom, and bathroom and a small living room. The kitchen was peach colored with only a refrigerator, sink, oven, microwave, dishwasher and some drawers. Her bedroom had baby-blue wallpaper with white bunnies; it only contained a double bed, a wardrobe, and a nightstand. On the nightstand there was postcard with the picture of the Space Needle, representing home, which was Seattle, Washington. The postcard was from her parents and little brother back home. The bathroom was also tiny; fortunately she was lucky enough to have a bathtub and space for a washing machine!

The living room was the most personal in the flat; it had a small couch for two people, a small Japanese table, and three armchairs. At a corner of the living room there was a six person Ikea dining table, and at the opposite corner she had a bunch of puffy, soft pillows and a TV, DVD, and Stereo. The walls were covered in pale yellow wallpaper with bright green lines that stretched vertically. In front of the main door there was a small French door that led to a small balcony; it was decorated with bright green curtains matching the wallpaper. Bookshelves were everywhere in the room, they had four to six shelves and most of the books were novels and other pieces of literature. Small figures of porcelain were on top of the shelves; most of them wore kimonos, as she thought that the Japanese culture was very interesting. It was hard to imagine that she lived in the worst neighborhood of London, as her flat was so cozy and inviting.

This Saturday was dedicated to cleaning the apartment, mainly dusting it. Then she would finish her assignments and work on the book she was writing. She wanted it to be a best seller to start off her career as an author. After that she would probably go to Mina's place and see what she wanted to do. Just as she was planning her day the phone rang, interrupting her thoughts and work. She ran to a bookshelf near the French door, where she usually had the telephone. 'It's probably Lita, wanting to ask me why I didn't have brunch this weekend...'

"Hi, 'tis Serena princess of the Moon, what is the subject you want to discuss with moi, your highness princess of Delicious Mouthwatering Deserts?" Serena said picking up the receiver.

"Hello, Serena," said a different voice on the other side of the line, it wasn't Lita's voice, but rather Amy's "Do I really cook that well? I didn't know, Zachary keeps saying I have not any talent for gastronomy..."

"Sorry, my fellow highness princess of Wisdom and Intelligence, I have mistaken you for Lita-" Serena apologized.

"Anyway, Serena," Amy cut excitedly, "Do you remember the gorgeous man from last week in the café?"

"Yeah, what's with him?" Serena questioned with boredom.

"He was there today too!"

"So?"

"He asked for your address, Raye gave it to him! Darien is his name by the way, well; he said he'd be visiting you this afternoon!" Amy spoke in such a voice you could picture her dancing the polka around the Moon! That was exactly what Serena was imagining and forgot to pay attention to what Amy just told her.

"Ok whatever..." realizing what Amy and told her she shouted, "...WHAT? You're kidding me! That PIG, coming here to my palace? Tell him that animals aren't allowed at my place!"

"Um, Serena, it just happens that I don't actually have his number so really can't pass your message to him..."

"Ugh, Amy, why didn't you stop Raye?"

"Because I though it was a good idea for you to start a relationship with him, he's so sexy!"

"I have better things to do than to start something with a PIG," Serena yelled, she was sure the whole building could hear her but that didn't matter now, "I'm a busy person, and you KNOW that, Amy! It's already hard to keep up with my Law Studies, Philosophy, Literature, French, Portuguese, and Japanese! You also know that I am busy with my thesis, the job at your and Zack's medical clinic, the choreographer job, and the manuscript of my first book! Now you so called my "friends" want to add the extra cherry-on-top by trying the match-making business?"

"Well, a little cherry on top of a huge ice cream wouldn't hurt much, Serena," Amy remarked shyly.

"Of course it would," boomed Serena, "It would make the whole ice cream, which I carefully built up, collapse! I'm already having problems balancing the whole ice cream!"

Just then the bell of the door rang, thinking that it was Mina with some money problems, she said goodbye to Amy. Then she hung up, when for the second time the bell rang; she shouted that she was coming. She ran to the door and opened it, to her surprise it wasn't Mina on the other side of door. She felt her face flush with anger at seeing the person in front of her; she was trying hard to control her temper. The man just gave her one of the cynical smiles that rich people give to poor ones and stepped inside without and invitation. He had crossed the line now, and there was no prevention for Serena's explosion.

"Just WHO do YOU think you are, MISTER?" she roared at him.

"Well, I'm Darien Chiba, and I'm guessing you're Serena Tsukino, am I not right?" he answered in an unusual calm voice, "Well then, nice to meet you too!"

"Look, whatever you're for, I suggest you cancel it because the answer will be NO!"

"Now, don't disobey me, Serena. Every girl in this city would want to go out on a dinner date with me, and I chose you of all girls, you should be kind of grateful."

"I have no intention WHAT SO EVER of having dinner with you, besides the word 'date' isn't included in my budget or vocabulary," she said trying to calm down, "So you can go ahead and leave now, because nothing will change my mind."

"You are coming with me, Woman! A red Mercedes will be here to pick you up at 7p.m. tomorrow," he said as he hugged her with a swing of his powerful arms, "How about a kiss now?"

"Take your hands off me, you Neanderthal," Serena threatened, "Or else you'll be rolling down the stairs all the way to the ground floor!"

"And just how do you think you're going to do that, Hon?" he laughed, pulling her closer to his lips.

"I can sue you for very much money, you know," she reattributed.

"Oh, Raye told me you were studying law... Suing is the American's favorite hobby that's for sure," he said; now Serena was only a couple of inches from his mouth. She could feel the rose smell of his after-shave, she knew he was trying to seduce her, but she would never let that happen. It would have probably happened when she was a klutzy fourteen-year-old, but over the years she had learned how to control herself when taking Kong Fu lessons. To not get affected by Darien's actions she had to block her mind from feeling him so close, she did that by screaming in her mind 'I hate you' over and over again. Slowly Darien drew her closer to his lips; they were just about to touch- WHACK! Darien unwrapped his arms from Serena in an impulse to touch left cheek. Serena fell to the floor; she hadn't realized that he had lifted her so high up. Quickly she stood up and put her hand on the doorknob and motioned Darien to leave. This time he obeyed HER, not the other way around! After closing the door she gave a disgusted laugh and though 'That might scare him away for a while...' going back to her work.

It was Monday afternoon, when Serena came storming into her apartment. She had just lost her job at Amy's clinic. Not that Amy and Zack were being mean or anything but they were beginning their career and needed a professional assistant who knows something about medicine. Serena of course knew nothing about such; she wanted to be an author, not a doctor! 'At least they were generous enough to give me this month's salary'. Her agitation was so great the she didn't even notice the man sitting on her couch, as she was nervously searching for that day' newspaper. Realizing that the newspaper wasn't there, she opened to door again and went out.

"Mina!" she roared, seconds later the door to the apartment across of hers opened, "Where the hell is my paper?"

"Uh, sorry Serena, I just borrowed it for a moment," Mina started, "You see I want to stop living on those men's money, so I want to look for a job..."

"What?" Serena's face lightened up immediately, "You're saying you want to stop taking drugs and being a 'ho? That's great! I've got just the job for you!"

"Really," Mina questioned anxiously, "What is it?"

"It's a job as an medical assistant at the Mizuno Medical Clinic," she advised, "You told me that you had a two year medical training didn't you?"

"Oh, I love you Serena!" Mina exclaimed; she took the business card which Serena handed out and hugged her best friend, "How should I ever thank you enough?"

"Um, just giving the paper back to me should be enough," she answered. Mina then returned the newspaper to Serena, and let her go back to her apartment. As she entered her apartment again panic struck her brain, 'how naïve and generous can you be Serena Tsukino? Now you've given away your job!' she thought as she closed the door, 'don't be so selfish, Girl, you were fired anyway, it's not like you had a chance of returning... Go and look for a better fitting job now, what's done is done' another part of her brain spoke.

"Isn't it dangerous to leave the doors unlocked in this part of town?" asked a dark, deep voice, belonging to a... Pig?

"Just what are you doing here?" she screamed at him, "Don't see that I'm having a stressful day?"

"Yeah," he agreed, "Very stressful, enough to not lock a door..."

"I trust most people in this building," Serena cut in, "What do you want with me anyway?"

"You have some explanations to do," Darien said standing up pacing the room.

"Oh yeah," she said walking to the couch, she sat there and opened the paper to the Job Pages, "tell me all about it."

Darien started to talk, but obviously Serena wasn't paying any attention to him. She was busy looking of a job now. Soon enough Darien realized that he was talking to himself, and closed his mouth. He stopped pacing to observe the girl in front of him, he was sure that he'd never seen so much beauty in his life! She had the longest, pure blonde hair he'd ever seen; they were tied up in a ponytail and almost reached her knees. She was about the same length as his shoulders and was not too wide or too slim. Her body looked fragile, but he knew from his own experience that it was as strong as steel...at least her hand was. Today she was wearing extremely baggy jeans and a baby-blue pull over with the words "Men are strong, but girls are stronger!" written across the chest in bright pink. Of all her pretty features, the one he liked best were her eyes; she had lovely light blue eyes that would melt any heart.

"...Has to be attractive, and professional," Serena mumbled under her breath, "Who does that person think he is? Let's see another one: 'looking for a receptionist, had to be charming, honest, professional. Has to know how to manage money, working hours are form 6a.m. to 01p.m. Salary will be discussed.' Good job, but I have classes from 8 to 12... Aha! This is perfect! 'Looking for an organizer, has to be comfortable with mathematics, has to be a good typer (at about 60 words per minute), has to know at least two languages, and is a good precise and concise writer. Work times from 4pm to 6pm."

"Could have your explanation now, Lady?" asked Darien as he watched Serena circle the ad with a highlighter. She then looked up at him surprised.

"Now, Mister Whoever You Are (I don't think I caught your name yet), would take that over again?" she said mockingly, "As you may have noticed I was not paying ANY attention what so ever to you, as I had more important things to do..."

"The name is Darien Chiba...You, young lady, did not come to our date yesterday," he started in a serious tune, "I had ordered a reservation in London's finest restaurant and you did not show up. Who do you think you are? I mean every girl would like to dine with ME at Silver Millennium."

With that said Serena couldn't help but to laugh! Seconds later she was trying to control her laughter as her stomach was ached.

"And who the heck told you I wanted to dine with a PIG? Just for your information, I'm NOT every girl! I'm actually very different from every girl, I'm more unique!" she said between laughs, "Thirdly, Silver Millennium is owned by Lita and Nicolas Kino! I don't need 'reservations' to eat there, and I don't think they would like to have a guest who's impolite to the waiters like they saw you do in the café last week."

"You haven't explained yourself yet," he remarked.

"I have no explanations to give you, of all people, and if I simply didn't want to go? You can't do anything to me!" she answered as a matter of factly. Then she stood up and went to the kitchen, minutes later she was back with a huge glass full of orange juice. He had noticed that she had those glasses all over the living room, some of them contained a bit of juice too. He watched her sip the liquid rapidly into her mouth; her distressed face became softer as she drank more of the juice. Darien felt awkward with the silence that fell a slight moment ago.

"So Lita and Nicolas are your friends?"

"Yeah," she answered and she lowered the empty juice glass on the Japanese table, "Lita was the girl making sandwiches and Nick was the one arm wrestling with me in the café last week."

"So you've got people of career around you?"

"Why wouldn't I have? In fact Lita and Nick are not the only friends with a career that I have, Amy and Zachary Mizuno own a medical clinic and Joachim works for them-"

"...And Raye is a fairly rich model! She told me that last week," the said in an inpatient voice, "How come you are living in such conditions then?"

"Fortunately my parents taught me that dropping out of school, like all of them (except the Mizunos) did, is a bad thing," she answered angrily, "And as my family was not lucky enough to be as rich as yours, we actually have to work fairly hard to pay for schooling. You probably even bought your way out of school; I mean who knows what money can buy..."

"You are a very obnoxious little girl, aren't you?" he said calmly.

"Maybe, maybe not," she responded in equal calmness, "I actually have work do, so I would appreciate if you left."

"It's alright, I can watch you work, it won't bother me."

Serena simply nodded and went to the stereo with a CD of Aerosmith. She put the song "Jaded" on. Serena was a choreographer for a TV show; she didn't actually know the name of it (AN: neither do I so don't ask), as she wasn't that interested in the show itself. All she wanted was to have fun and get her salary. The song started to play, and she started to dance to it. Occasionally, she stopped the song and jotted down the dance movements in stick figures. All the time she hadn't noticed the look in Darien's face.

Darien looked at the angel in front of him; she couldn't possibly be human at that time. Forgetting his past and all his worries, he let himself gladly hand over his heart and soul to her. It was not only her beauty that fascinated him, but also her aggressive attitude, and her tough character. He had never met a woman so different and so... unique, yeah she was right: she was very unique! Under that hard straightforward personality there was a sweet, generous, kind, and loving creature that he knew from the conversation with her neighbor. 'I'm in love with her, oh God, this can't be happening to me...and yet I feel so happy and lighthearted! I can't believe what she is doing to me, I'm sure I've never felt like this before not even with Ann...Why am I thinking about Ann right now?' He simply continued watching HIS goddess dance.

Finally the song ended, Serena still didn't bother to look at her company. She went to get a baby blue backpack and took out a bunch of stapled, photocopied pages. It was a Shakespeare scene, an assignment from her Literature class. Darien watched her in silence struggling to memorize the scene. She looked very cute in his eyes. Thirty minutes later he saw her slamming the paper on the table angrily.

"Damn!" she shouted, "Why do we have to study all this mumbo jumbo?"

Darien laughed, "Would you like me to help you with the scene?"

"No you idiot!" she yelled, "You'd help a lot if you left my apartment!"

"Gee, Serena, that's not a nice thing to say to your boyfriend..."

"OUT!" she roared running to the door, then she opened it, "Out or you'll be flying down those stairs in no time!"

Darien of course felt threatened by her remark and didn't want to stay around to find out what she'd do. So he hurried to the door and waved goodbye to Serena. Serena, however, didn't see it for she had closed the door immediately after Darien's feet stepped out of her flat. She went back to her assignment but didn't move a step forward. 'Perhaps I should have accepted his help after all...' she thought, '...no, thank god I didn't, my, this scene's got kissing in it! I'll ask Mina for help'. Soon enough she was knocking on Mina's door asking for help. Mina opened it and let her in.

Done with chapter two!


	3. Chapter 3: Workday!

Chapter Three: Workday!

Mina helped Serena enough for her to get a B- of the oral test of the certain Shakespeare scene. Another help that Serena wanted from Mina was a proper dress for an interview. Her wardrobe was made up of jeans, T-shirts, and some more jeans. She knew that no decent human being goes for a work interview in England dressed in jeans. Mina had many decent suits, and she lent Serena a navy one. Serena had to admit that she looked pretty in the suit; she was wearing a navy skirt that reached her knees accompanied by a blazer of the same color. She had a light blue blouse and wore black, low-heeled leather boots. Mina also took some time to pull Serena's huge hair into a braided bun. There, now she was ready to look professional and get her job!

As she left her apartment for university she wished Mina good luck on the interview at the Mizuno Medical Clinic. It was a promising day for Serena; she could feel it in her bones! She took the chill April's breeze and a good luck sign! The classes went well, and surprisingly she managed an A- on the oral test! She met up with Amy and Mina for lunch, where she happily heard that her best friend had gotten the job. She was also happy to hear that Amy sympathized with Mina quickly. However, as she was eating her meal she felt a bit dizzy; she decided that it was probably from her nervousness about her interview.

After having lunched with her friends, Serena headed straight towards a huge building. She looked up and the sign that read "The Chiba International Banks". She stepped inside and asked the receptionist for Mr. Martin Chiba for a job interview. Soon she was inside an elevator, then walking along long corridors. Finally she arrived to a door, which read "Martin Chiba"; she knocked three times.

"Come in," called a female voice. Serena entered the room, where a young woman impolitely asked whom she wanted to talk to.

"Mr. Martin Chiba, ma'am," Serena answered trying to sound as friendly as she could, "...For the job interview..."

"Ah," she exclaimed lifting the phone receiver, "Mr. Chiba, someone wants to see you, sir," a few seconds later the woman motioned Serena to the door on Serena's right. She entered.

"So, I see you're here for the job," said the man in an amused voice.

Serena stretched her hand towards him, "I'm Serena Tsukino, pleased to meet you, sir."

"Oh, so you are American!" he exclaimed, "Please to meet you too, take a seat. What brings an American young lady to London?"

"I'm studying at King's College, sir," she smiled at him. Serena rather liked the man in front of her.

"Tell me about yourself."

"Well," she started, handing him my job portfolio, "I come from Seattle, Washington, and am 23 years old. I had a scholarship to study law and philosophy, and took the opportunity to study Literature and three other languages. This is my last year of post graduate studies. I'm planning to become an author and am working on the manuscript of my first book. I've had jobs since I was sixteen years old, I worked on grocery stores, and as a mechanic assistant, and as a delivery person for the post office in Seattle, and as a medical assistant at the Mizuno Medical Clinic. Right now, I have a part time job as a choreographer for a TV show. "

"Well then, what languages have you been studying?"

"French, Portuguese, and Japanese, sir."

"Interesting," he said handing my job portfolio back to me, "You have noticed that according to the advert you are a personal organizer. What do you think your job is about?"

"No offence, sir, but being called and organizer makes me feel as if I am an agenda!" she answered jokingly, but she quickly changed her tune into a more serious one. "I think that that's exactly what I'll be doing, writing short messages, organizing schedules, or other documents that you might have which will have to be put in a certain order, and probably counting some money."

"Well, Ms. Tsukino, I'm impressed!" he laughed, "That's exactly what you will be starting tomorrow! Let's talk about your paycheck now, what suggest?"

"Sir, I have no suggestions," Serena responded surprised, "I sincerely thought that you, Mr. Chiba, already had an estimate!"

"Since I've never hired an organizer before, I've been thinking about 20 pounds an hour."

"My, are you sure of that, Mr. Chiba?" Serena she asked surprised by how high Mr. Chiba had suggested her paycheck to be "I hope, you realize that it's a rather high figure!"

"I think you should have 20 pounds ah hour!" Mr. Chiba decided.

"As you want it, sir," Serena agreed, "Where should I present myself tomorrow?"

"You will be working by that desk, Ms. Tsukino," he answered pointing at a wooden desk in the diagonally opposite corner from Mr. Chiba's desk. Only then had Serena noticed how big and roomy the office was. A few moments later Serena stood up and stretched her arm to Mr. Chiba, saying good byes to her new boss. The door to the office opened as she turned towards it. The sight of the person who had just arrived stunned her. Why were her eyes playing such evil tricks on her?

"Grandpa, I received those documents that you-" Darien to a look at the girl in front of him... 'Oh my gosh, what is she doing here?' he though. "Serena..."

"Do you know each other?" Mr. Chiba asked not understanding anything.

"She the one that gave me that blue mark on Sunday," Darien explained.

"Why was that?" Mr. Chiba questioned, addressing it to Serena.

"That is a question that both I and he can answer to," Serena said coldly, "I'd rather have this Pi-er, Mr. What's-His-Name-Here answer."

"The name it Darien, how many times have I told you?" Darien remarked irritated.

"I don't care what your name is!" Serena reattributed in a voice equally annoyed.

"Will you kindly explain what is going on?" Mr. Chiba asked, rather kindly.

"She is the first girl, I've met so far, who refuses to go on a dinner date or have a kiss from me," Darien explained.

"And I'm sure I'm not the only one!" Serena blurt out.

"You have an interesting relationship!" Mr. Chiba laughed, "How long have you known each other?"

"I don't know him," Serena declared, "If you'd excuse me Mr. Chiba, I have to rush."

"Not until one of you tells me how you met," Mr. Chiba said commanded with an amusing tune.

'He is probably enjoying seeing us in this situation, like father... or rather like grandfather like grandson' Serena thought. As she didn't like sticky situations she volunteered: "We met on Saturday almost two weeks ago, Mr. Impolite here-"

"Darien is the name-"

"I don't give about your name!" Serena said annoyed by the interruption, "Well, as I was saying, he came into the American Café, sat down on a table, and was impolite to the waiter as if he owned to world... he probably does... He would have suffered a heavy moral lecture if my friend unfortunately had not stopped me. However, Mr. Pig here-"

"Dar-"

"Hush!" Serena commanded, "...As I was saying, young Mr. Chiba here, decides to invade my apartment last Sunday, and just steps inside not even asking if he was allowed to enter..." Serena went on telling the whole story, and was interrupted whenever she mentioned Darien. Mr. Chiba's reaction the story was a great laugh!

"Well, that's a nice way of meeting your greatest love!" he said between laughs, Serena on the other hand did not think it was funny but she knew better than to answer. "You are dismissed, Ms. Tsukino. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good bye, sir," Serena ended.

Serena walked down the street happy with her new job. 'It's perfect, the job, the paycheck, and even Dar- hey where did that come from?' Serena stopped abruptly in the middle of the street. Was she going crazy, or just too much happiness? Who would think that a pig is perfect? She definitely needed to cool down a little. As she walked back to her apartment, she didn't notice him following her.

When she entered her apartment, she saw a wonderful surprise. Her older sister Trista, who had married a rich guy, owner of a publishing company, many years before. Trista had taken the career of clothing designer, and made quite a lot of money by her 'T. Tomoe' clothes. Trista wasn't alone, her daughter, Hutaru, was with her too. After having hugged them and exchanged caring words, Serena learned that Hutaru was to study at a boarding school in London, which was why her sister was in England. In the next day, she would fly to Milan for an exposition of her clothes. Hutaru would begin school; she was in London because the Tomoes thought that it was safer than in New York.

"Hutaru, if you need anything just give me a buzz, ok?" Serena assured to her niece.

"Sure thing!" Hutaru smiled, she was usually very timid, but not when it came to Serena.

"My, Serena!" Trista blurt out dismayed, "What happened to you?"

"What's wrong?" Serena questioned clueless.

"You're so skinny now!" Trista exclaimed, "What happened, Baby?"

"I don't know," Serena answered honestly, "I guess it's the pressure from school! It's the last semester I have to do everything perfectly, you know..."

"Don't you think you should calm down a little?"

"No, how can I calm down? I have to work to survive..."

"Why don't you ask me to borrow some money?"

"No way, Tris, I know you want to help, but you know that I don't like to owe people things."

"Well, if you say so, but how about I take you to the doctor tomorrow before I leave?"

"No way!"

Saved by the bell! The doorbell ringed just as Trista was going to continue the argument. At this moment anyone would be welcome, even the love-Ahem, hateful pig! Prayers answered! Darien was behind that door with a single pure white rose on his hand. He held the rose out to her without saying a word. Serena gave a sarcastic laugh. What a sight! Mr. Pig Enemy wanted to make peace between them! 'If he really wants peace why doesn't he just disappear off my sight?'

"Take it," he insisted, "I just don't want to fight with you anymore."

"Man, you make me laugh," she refused, "Why don't you just buzz off instead?"

"Serena," Darien started as he entered the apartment. Not noticing the others he went on: "You don't know what you mean to me! God, Serena, I've never felt like this towards girl...I love you, Serena."

"That's what you are going to say to the next one when you get sick of me." she hypothesized.

"No," he disagreed, "That's not true at all! You might not believe this, but I've never said what I just said to a girl. Never in my life..."

"Yeah right, I don't believe it," she insisted, "You might as well talk to the wall, it'll probably give you a better answer."

"Yeah, I might as well talk to the wall..." Darien echoed giving up.

"So, go ahead and march out that door with your flower-FAST!" Serena threatened.

At the pronunciation of the last word, Darien hurried out the door. He sure didn't want to experience any cell damaging situations. Whoever quoted that love doesn't cost a thing is wrong...totally! For Serena was going to cost a huge amount of stamina and hard work. No matter what, he was determined to make that angel his. He loved her and there was no way he would twist out of it. He could do anything for her; he would change his whole life style to suit her moods! In fact he had already started to do so, last time he had a date was a week and three days before...he who had a different girl every day.

Back at Serena's apartment, two people stared at its owner curiously. She on the other hand frowned, wondering when Darien was going to give up on her.

"Wow, who is that awesome man?" Trista chanted filled with curiosity.

"Just an idiot whom I met a week ago," Serena responded as a matter of fact1ly, "He, unfortunately, also happens to be my new boss' grandson..."

"Who is your new boss?"

"Mr. Chiba, owner of the CIB."

"Oh, my you're telling me that was DARIEN Chiba?"

"I guess that's his real name, otherwise I just call him Pig."

"Reality check, dear sistah! You know he is THE hottest man around here?"

"Don't see anything hot about him-"

"Girl, what are you thinking?"

"Finishing my education..."

"Must you be so obsessed with school?" Trista practically yelled, "Here is a man who will do anything for you and you just sweep him away with your broom! I don't understand you, Little Sissy!"

"Gee, Mom, I think that Serena has the right to choose who she wants to go out with..."

"It's amazing, really like aunt, like niece...isn't it supposed to be more like 'Like mother, like daughter'?"

Later in the evening, Mina came in to tell about her first day of work. She was so excited by the fact that she was working with something productive and caring. Everyone knew that medicine was not what Mina wanted to do for life, but now she could afford go continue her studies at theater school. Serena had heard Mina's sweet voice and it would be easy for her to get a record deal soon enough. She was extremely proud of Mina for having taken the decision to go on with her life after all the tough times she had been through. Serena was determined to help her friend whenever Mina was down. She vowed to never stop pushing Mina to the top until she reached it.

Mina had met a man in his late twenties at the clinic. She was telling her best friend about him. His name was Mario Aino, owner of an IT company. He was there to have his yearly health check up. Mina thought that he probably fell in love with her; she could see it in his eyes. He had invited her for dinner on the next day, and taken her phone number too. She wanted to know what Serena thought before she answered the invitation.

"I don't know, Mina, if you really want to date him..." Serena said seriously, "It's all up to you, just don't let him too close."

"I won't let that happen!" Mina assured, "How was your work interview?"

"Great," Serena exclaimed, "You know what? We should celebrate! We'll eat a Silver Millennium tonight!"

"Are you sure? It's the most expensive restaurant around..."

"Don't worry, it will be on me! Go and grab your jacket and let's go!"

They took a taxi to the flashiest part of town. After what it seemed like a long expensive ride the stepped out of the cab and entered Silver Millennium. Serena chatted a little with the waiters and went into the kitchen to greet Lita. Lita and Serena talked about the past two days and the reasons for this festivity. And as generous and kind as Serena's cook-loving friend was, they got to dine for free. Mina waited on a table for her friend when Mr. Aino himself walked up to greet her.

"Oh, Mr. Aino," Mina said surprised, "Pleased to see you here..."

"So, you're here on a date?" he asked suspiciously.

"No, sir," Mina smiled, "I'm here with a friend to celebrate-"

"Gotta love that Lita!" Serena cut in without noticed Mina's company, "I told you we wouldn't need cash to dine tonight!"

"Serena," Mina introduced, "This is Mr. Aino. Mr. Aino this is Serena Tsukino."

"Pleased to meet you," said the man.

"Same here, you can join us if you want."

Later Lita joined them as she was having a break. Serena found Mr. Aino very nice, and had nothing against Mina dating the guy. He seemed very honest and loving, and he was certainly in love with Mina. You could not only see that in his eyes but in every movement he did. Lita found Mina and Mr. Aino very comfortable, and began to make herself homely around them. A wonderful evening! Out of the blue, Serena found herself thinking about how perfect the evening would have been if only Dar- 'No way, Serena, are you going insane?' she thought, and tried to push that thought off her mind. 'If you want him, accept him for heavens sake!' her inner voice insisted. 'I don't want him!' she denied. 'You do too!' it replied teasingly. 'Do not!' 'Do too, why else would you be thinking of him right now?' 'Oh shut up, and let me enjoy my evening!'

"Serena!" Lita yelled waving her hands in front on Serena's eyes, "Are you all right?"

"What!" Serena crashed back to reality, "Oh, oh yeah I'm fine..."

"You looked very distant," Lita affirmed.

"Oh, I was just having a fight with my stupid inner voice..."

"About what?" Mr. Aino questioned giving a laugh.

"About Dar-er, goinghometonotwakeuplatetomorrow!" she exclaimed out of breath hoping that they would believe her.

Mina looked at her watch; it was almost 10:45 p.m... She had to save Serena's life, AND to know what exactly she had bee thinking about before it was too late. Mina announced her and her friends leaving, and said the good byes. They took a taxi back home, during the ride; Serena had not said anything, because she knew what Mina was thinking. Mina also knew that Serena was not in the mood for explanations so she let it be. When they arrived, they said their good nights and went into their respective apartments.


	4. Chapter 4: Living On the Wild Side

It's oficial: this is one of the silliest chapters i've written in my whole fanfiction career! Thanks everyone for reviewing!

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Chapter Four: Living On the Wild Side...

A month passed very quickly, as Serena had much to do! She could notice that she was a bit tired and her friends were telling her how thin she was getting. This was due to the pressure from university, work, and her choreographer job. She didn't have any problems with the book, since she had sent the manuscript to a publisher, to be exact she sent it to her sister's husband's publishing company. School and the choreographer job were bugging her the most, since she had to finish her thesis, which was due on the coming week; she had finished writing the final paper but she still hadn't found a decent person to edit it.

The TV show that she was choreographing was having a special edition of the program, which would be one and half-hours longer than usual, so she had to work on an extra number of dances. What kept her going was the thought that graduation was only four weeks away.

It was a nice May afternoon, and Serena would rather be out with her friends than stuck in Mr. Chiba's office. She was organizing an address book while Mr. Chiba himself left for a meeting with a very important client, a few hours ago. 'Grrrr, I feel so trapped! I wish I were-' she thought as the door to the office opened. Darien came in with a brunch on papers in his hands. He put them on his grandfather's desk and looked at Serena with a weird smile. Then he walked calmly over to Serena's desk. Serena sensed that he wasn't thinking of something good right then, and braced herself of what was to come.

"Hello, my love," he greeted her with a smile.

"Shut your damned trap! I'm not your cursed love, and I hope you never find one too!" she said annoyed. 'How dares he? First, he invades my thoughts all the time, now he's trying to tempt me. Damned man!'

"Aw, that hurt my feelings, Serena!" he said jokingly, but deep down it was the plain truth.

"Do you think I care?" she shot at him, "Let me answer that: No! I don't give a sht about your feelings!"

In an impulse, Darien ripped Serena off her chair into his embrace. He was going to show her how much he loved her. He'll show her how much he wanted her to believe him, and most of all accept him into her life. He lowered his head, meaning to give her a passionate kiss; the most beautiful finger stopped him. Soon enough, he realized that the finger on his lips belonged to Serena. 'Of course it's beautiful, every part of Serena is beautiful, you fool!' he thought happily.

"Stop it, you idiot!" she warned, "If you move one inch closer I'll hurt you!"

"In this country we use the metric measurement, which means that inches and the other stuff aren't part on my vocabulary," Darien pushed his luck, and moved closer to her lips. He thought that she was totally helpless now, her feet were off the floor, her arms were trapped between his chest and hers, and he made sure that his strong arms grasped her very tightly.

'I wish I could taste his lips...' Serena's unconscious mind craved. 'Go for it girl! They are only inches away from your lips, all you have to do is to lean-' encouraged her inner voice. 'What are you thinking girl? Fall into this pig's lips? I'd rather kiss a Neanderthal! Hit him, now,' her mind screamed. 'Just how do you think you are going to hit him? You're trapped, and you've been dreaming about him every night now! I don't see the point of waiting,' her inner voice argued. 'How do you know? Huh? I don't even remember dreams!' her mind defended. 'I'm your unconscious self, remember?' 'Oh fck y!' 'Don't be disgusting, Serena, you expect yourself to masturbate?' 'Grr-' 'Okay I get it, I'll stop!'

"One CENTIMETER closer and you'll get some blue marks, Darien, I'm serious," she threatened him; "I'm not the type of girl that you usually mess around with, so I'd advise you to be careful of your every move, right now!"

"You make me laugh-" Darien was interrupted.

"What is the meaning of this?" they heard Mr. Chiba's voice, "If you two want to make love, for God's sake, don't do it in the working place!"

Serena was now boiling; he forced herself out of Darien's arm and went to fetch her bag. As far as she knew, she had to get away from this place...Quickly, before she exploded. But Darien's hand got a hard grip on her hand.

"Don't go Serena!" he trying to amend what the awkwardness that he had just caused.

"Oh shut up you mothe-" she screamed pulling her arm off Darien's hands.

"Grandpa, it wasn't what you thought," he tried, "Serena really didn't want this, it was my fault, totally my fault, you shouldn't have to offend her like that!"

"I apologize, Ms. Tsukino," he addressed seriously; "I hadn't meant to offend you, once again, my apologies."

"What is the meaning of this then, Darien?" asked a girl with shoulder-long marine-blue hair.

"Michelle!" Darien exclaimed surprised.

"You should know perfectly well that this company does not allow any kind of harassment, and that by doing what you just did you could lose your job!" informed a shorthaired dark-blonde girl.

"Amara is right!" Michelle agreed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was thinking," he mumbled, "I guess I was being a retard..."

"You bet!" Amara barked, "Get out of our sight before I break your bones into sub microscopic pieces!"

"Who are you t-"

"Darien, get out," said Mr. Chiba irritated, "And we'll have to talk later."

Darien left immediately. Serena quietly went back to her desk and continued with her work. But just as she picked up a business card, Amara cut in.

"How long has he been on you?" she asked.

"Just today Ms..."

"Just call me Amara, I'm Michelle's partner," she smiled.

"Ms. Tsukino," Mr. Martin said calmed down, pointing at Michelle, "This is my granddaughter Michelle Tenou and that is Amara Tenou, Michelle's, er, wife."

"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. and Mrs. Tenou!" kidded Serena.

They all gave a laugh, while Serena went on with her work. She felt a bit dizzy, but she ignored the feeling. She had been feeling like this for over a month now and she was used to it. An hour later she was on her way home. She entered her apartment building, and she heard a great noise. She rushed up the stairs; she had recognized Mina's voice and knew that she was in trouble. As she neared the fourth floor, she heard a man's voice.

"You btch, you're saying you're not going to let me in?" said the man, "Damned you, you've always been a whr, so let me in!"

Serena ran up to the man, grabbed him by his collar, and pushed to the wall.

"Bstrd! Who do you think you are? Huh?" she shouted, and then turning to Mr. Aino who was just standing there shocked, "Don't you see your girlfriend is crying? Go and comfort her, for Gods sake!"

She punched the man a couple of times, and let the man free. He collapsed to the ground. Serena warned him that if came back she'd strangle him alive! Then she ordered him to stand up, the man was totally out of energy, and he could barely stand up. He walked down the stairs as quickly as he could, as Serena shouted about him not daring to call the police because she would tell about what he did to Mina. Then she noticed that Darien was standing next to her door, he had probably arrived while she was fighting the man. She commanded to go to Mina's apartment to call Mr. Aino out and stay with Mina while she and Mr. Aino talked.

"Sit!" she ordered angrily. Mr. Aino obediently sat on the first stair he could find. "What are you thinking of doing next?"

"I didn't know she was a-"

"She isn't anymore!" Serena barked, "Are you going to dump her now? If so why did you tell her you loved her? You will cheat on her feelings if you dump her!"

"I really don't want-"

"Look, let me tell you her story," she said running her hand through her hair, "I came to England five years ago. Five months later Mina moved in here, she looked very depressed and lost when I first saw her. She told me that she and just divorced a man whom she had been married to for a six months. He had not only ended their marriage but also hit her, while hitting her, he killed the baby who was inside her. Her parents lived in Scotland and she hadn't a penny on her. She had succeeded in getting this apartment by sleeping with the owner of this building.

"You've always been rich, but can you imagine how it is for a poor girl with low self esteem would feel in such moments? At that time I didn't have a penny to spare so I couldn't help, as much as I wanted to. She was too depressed to think properly, so she went on drugs. I tried as hard as I could to make her stop, but it didn't work. In time, she stared to bring in guys here. And that's what she's been doing until a year ago, when I finally had spare money and started lending her some of it. That was when she decided to use her brain and find a job.

"My point is that Mina had a very low self esteem. And what happened five years ago caused great damage to her emotional self, so it was very difficult for her to pick herself up and go on with her life!" she finally ended, "Now you decide what you want to do. But if you really love her, you shouldn't let go of her..."

"Thank you, Serena;" Mr. Aino breathed after a silent pause, "You just saved our relationship! And do you know what?"

"What?" Serena asked curiously.

Mr. Aino took out from his jacket pocket dark blue velvet box; he opened it and in the very middle rested a gold ring with a huge diamond on it.

"Wow! Oh my! I can't believe this!" Serena exclaimed excited, "I want to be the-"

"Yeah, yeah," Mr. Aino agreed, "But don't your think that Mina should know about this first?"

"Oh sure," she answered, "Go right ahead and tell her!"

While Mr. Aino entered Mina's apartment, Serena opened hers. She went right to the kitchen to get a glass of juice. She drank it like she had been wondering in the desert for years! Then she went to her living room, where she found Darien, sitting on HER couch. 'Now he was making himself comfortable here! Now he'll have to hear! How dares he? Just because he is the richest person alive, it doesn't mean that he has the right to invade other people's properties.' Serena opened her mouth meaning to give Darien a great lecture, but she was stopped.

"Serena, for once, please listen to me!" he started, "I am sorry for what happened today," he managed to say.

"You are not forgiven," she screamed, "Now go to your place, or to hell, I don't care; just get out of my sight!"

"Shut up, and listen to me!" Darien demanded sternly and went on in a much calmer voice, "I really didn't mean to do that. But you have a way of hurting my feelings so much...All I wanted was to-"

Someone shouting from the floor below interrupted them. Saved by a scream! Serena quickly tore herself away from Darien. She ran down the stairs while Darien followed her, what was going on now?

She opened the door to the apartment was just below hers. Unlike her apartment, this one was dirty, and broken. Serena and Darien heard a murmur from the bathroom. They went into the bathroom; there was a man about the same age of Serena. He held a tiny bottle I one hand and a glass of water in the other, on the sink was a pistol. It was open and had no bullets.

Serena walked carefully to him. She put a hand of his left shoulder, and looked at the tiny bottle. The bottle contained morphine pills. 'Why the hell would Seiya want to take those?' she asked herself. To find the answer she observed the scene: an unloaded pistol, morphine tablets, and water. Of course! 'Oh, Jesus, he's about to commit suicide! I have to stop him!'

"Seiya, why don't hand those tablet to me?" she asked innocently.

"Serena," Seiya said turning around, "Don't try to stop me this time. What is the point? There is no hope for me."

"What do you mean," she spoke gently; "There is hope for everyone in this world."

"No," he insisted, "If there was I wouldn't be living here, in these conditions."

"I would have believed that if you were 47 years, but you're only 23! There are so many possibilities out there, just waiting to be taken," she persisted, and pointed to the tiny bottle, "And this isn't one of them, believe me... If you hand this to me and let me have your pistol, I'll help you. I promise."

Finally Seiya handed the bottle of morphine to Serena, and gestured her to take the pistol. She of course took both things and headed towards the door.

"Thank you, I'll come to you tomorrow afternoon, then we will talk about you situation," then she faced Darien, who was standing by the door surprised, "sshl, do you want to do a good deed for the world today?"

Darien managed a nod, as he was too surprised to speak. "Then give Seiya enough for a McDonald's meal, but not a pound more, or he'll use it for something else." Darien handed the money to Seiya. Then Serena and Darien headed out, and up to the apartment above.

Once Serena reached her floor, she opened the hole in the wall that was made to throw the garbage, she threw the pistol down, and listened to the sound it made while running down the metal tube. Then she entered her apartment and ran directly to the bathroom, she threw the tablets into the toilet then flushed them.

Then feeling very dizzy, she went back to the living room to sit down a little. She barely reached the living room, when she collapsed. If Darien weren't following her every move like a dog, she would have fallen to the floor and hit herself hard. Darien caught her in his arms; he noticed that she was extremely weak now. 'I could kiss her now!' He pushed this thought out of his mind and concentrated on what he would have to do. He carried her to her bed, pulled the cover over her helpless body. He then went to the kitchen to get his beloved one a glass of juice. He made her drink the juice until the last drop. Then he ordered her to sleep.

"What were you going to tell me, Darien?" Serena asked falling almost falling asleep.

'Since when did she start calling me by my name?' he questioned himself. Nevertheless, he kneeled down beside her, stroked her golden bangs, smiled, and said: "I was going to tell you that the only reason I acted so stupid today, was because I wanted to show you how much I love you..."

Serena sighed closing her sky blues, falling asleep. Darien watched his angel sleep, he assured himself for the hundredth time that he had never seen a woman more beautiful than Serena. She was not only beautiful, but also loving and caring. He had seen how much she had cared for her friends today; she had pushed aside her own problems to help her friends. Not many people would the disposable of doing such things other people. He was sure that even if HE were in trouble, she would try to help him.

Finally Darien looked up, and noticed that the room getting dark. He switched the light on and left the apartment. He went to Mina's place to inform of Serena's break down, and finally went home. On his way home he decided to not to bother Serena anymore, he had to find some other way to win her heart. He knew that if he made such sudden movements, he would totally lose the tiny amount of respect that she had for him...and of course, he didn't want that, did he? NO! He turned his car to the left, heading towards his grandfather's mansion. There, old Mr. Chiba would be waiting for Darien, Darien was sure about the lecture to come...

The next morning Serena woke up feeling better than she had felt in weeks! She jumped out of her bed, and ran happily to the bathroom. As the opened the shower she noticed that she was different, somehow. She stepped under the shower and recalled yesterday's events: Darien, Mina, and Seiya. Suddenly a voice spoke in her head, "...I love you..." it said softly. She couldn't recall who exactly had said that, but it sounded extremely familiar. Finally, she gave up trying to find who had said it, and contented herself with the fact the

SOMEONE out there was in love with her. She stepped out of the shower and she noticed how she was feeling energetic, it was good to have a good night's sleep after all.

She dressed herself, and quickly put her immense her into a ponytail. Then she jumped her way to the kitchen. She made herself a Spanish omelet and purred some peach juice into a glass. She then walked over to the living room, and sat down on her couch in front of the Japanese table. She saw her unedited thesis on the table and remembered that is was due in exactly six days.

Even before she began to worry, she knew with a flash someone who would edit it for her: Darien!

'Hold your horses girl, you're not getting too emotional here are you,' asked her rational mind. 'As logical as you are, you should be smart enough the understand that there is no time to think about Darien as you do, focus on getting your thesis edited, you've only got SIX days!' exclaimed her heart. 'But there must be someone else, like Mr. Chiba for example.' 'Oh, idiot, he told you that he was going to the States today, besides it's a good way to become Darien's friend...' 'And why would I want to be Darien's friend?' 'Why wouldn't you?' 'You never give up, do you?' 'Nope!' 'Damned you!' 'Yes!'

She stuffed her breakfast as quickly as she could, and did the dishes in a flash. Packed her things for the classes that she would have today, and put an extra copy of her thesis in a yellow folder. She ran down the stairs and took the underground to the CIB building. She took the elevator up to Mr. Chiba's floor; she then ran down the corridor to the door beside Mr. Chiba's, it read "Darien Chiba". She was about to knock, when Darien himself opened the door.

"Serena?" he asked surprised to see her there, "My grandfather has left to Boston already, didn't you know that?"

"Yes, I knew that," she smiled calmly, "I'm not here to see Mr. Chiba. Aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Yes, come in," he managed not understanding what was going on.

They passed Darien's secretary who was a cute young lady. She seemed very friendly, unlike Mr. Chiba's secretary. Serena was led into a room to her left; Darien's office was slightly smaller than Mr. Chiba's. She sat on a chair in front of Darien. She noticed how neat and organized his desk was.

"Are going to lecture me now?" Darien asked awkwardly.

"You're forgiven," Serena replied smiling, "I see you're very organized."

"Serena, you're making me nervous," he uttered, "Please get to your point?"

"Where were you going, when I came in?" she questioned.

"To my mail box," he answered, "Please, Serena..."

"Alright, alright! Do I threaten you so much?"

"Yes, you're so unpredictable!"

"Fine, I was just going to ask you if you could edit my thesis," she admitted.

"Oh, yes I'd gladly edit it for you!" he exclaimed with relief.

"I need to have it back on Friday, as it's due on Monday next week," she said handing the folder with the thesis to Darien.

"I will finish it, don't worry."

"Oh thank you so much, you're a life saver, how can I thank you enough?"

"That's enough already!" he laughed. 'So Serena is thanking me? Something is very wrong with her, she probably very desperate about this.'

"Thank you," she said standing up, "I have to rush, now. So see you on Friday!"

"Say hello to Seiya," he smiled, "Bye."

The girl had no time to stay any longer as had to hurry to her part time job. She was already a good five minutes late, and she didn't even practice the dance routines that she was going to teach today. 'I'll just have to make them up as I go!' she said brushing that though away. She felt so relieved to find someone who could edit her paper, and give good, constructive criticism to it. She couldn't wait until Friday!

After choreographing the dances she went to Seiya's place. The two friends discussed what Seiya wanted to do and the possibilities that he had. The conclusive product of the discussion was that Seiya would try making his first book of poems, while also working on a normal job. The next few days were spent looking for possible jobs that Seiya would enjoy. Finally he got admitted as an elementary physical education teacher in a boys' catholic school, just because he knew the bible inside out, but that didn't mater!

At last the long awaited Friday had come! She ran down the streets of London to the CIB building. Mr. Chiba had arrived form the States on this same day, so of course she would be working today. She couldn't wait until after work, she was so excited to get her thesis back- and most of all see Darien-'Hang on, rewind, cut! Where did that come from? I was just checking the agenda of your life and I didn't find anything with "seeing Darien" on it.' 'Why don't you chill?' 'If I leave you in control for just a minute, I don't know WHAT you'll do, you uncontrollable monster!' 'Look who's talking, you're a control freak!' Serena shook off her inner voices as she neared Mr. Chiba's office, it wasn't time for emotional fights now; she had work to do!

As Serena was about to leave her work, Darien entered Mr. Chiba's office.

"Are you done with it?" She questioned anxiously.

"Yes, I am," answered with a light smile, "It was fantastic, I don't think anyone could do it better! I even showed it to an old family friend who is a retired professor, and he said that he's never seen a better one."

"Did I miss something?" Mr. Chiba interfered.

"Yeah, Grand-dad! You've missed this extremely well written paper!" Darien exclaimed.

"Ah!" Mr. Chiba said, "I see..."

"Finally, I'm so happy!" Serena chanted happily, "I don't know how I am going to thank you!"

"Hey, it was you who wrote it, Serena, not me," Darien commented.

"But still..." she insisted.

"Alright," Darien finally agreed, "How about your and me go to diner next Tomorrow?"

"You're always on your guard, right?" Serena smiled with an uncertain look. 'Say yes!' supported her heart. 'Say no; he's a player, remember!' her mind protested. 'What are you scared of? That he's going to kiss you?' 'It's my first kiss I want it to be perfect!' 'Isn't he perfect enough? You won't find anymore more perfect than him!' 'Shut up, it's my life, and I decide what I want to do with it!' 'It's my life too, you know! I should also be able to decide!' 'Go away! Say no, that's the final decision.'

"I can see that you're not very sure," Darien observed, "I could call you tomorrow if you want..." He knew that tomorrow she would be more serious and that the answer would most likely be no then, but he was trying to be "the perfect gentleman" here.

"No, no, it's alright you don't need to call me," she answered quickly, "I have a date with my friends tomorrow night. And I haven't been out with them for over a month!" she lied.

"Oh," Darien sighed disappointedly, he was sure that that was just an excuse.

"I have to rush," she said snatching her papers from Darien's hands, "Bye Mr. Chiba, and Pi-er, Darien!"

The two men watched their employee disappear through the office door. One was very disappointed with himself for not being able to be with his love. The other already making plans for his grandson's wedding! 'Yepp, definitely a nice couple!' he though secretly.


	5. Chapter 5: Get On Top, Girl!

Minna-chan please be aware that i wrote this story a long time ago... it was the first fan fiction I had ever written. Thanks for the reviews!

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**Chapter 5: Get On Top, Girl!**

"Ring-ring", the telephone pleaded. Serena ran from her room to get it. Well, whom could it be...she had just talked to Amy about their night out in two days. Mina was out shopping for her wedding dress with her mother who had just arrived from Scotland. Seiya was right downstairs, and besides if he coveted anything he'd go up the stairs rather than calling her. It could only be Darien. Her heart was jumping; she hadn't seen him outside work for almost a month now. Of course, her mind wouldn't admit that such crime against its beliefs would be committed. It was already planning a very unfriendly salute.

"Hello?"

"Hi Sere!" greeted an adolescent voice on the other side of the like.

"Hey Hutaru," she answered feeling her heart sink, so it wasn't Darien, "'Sup, Girl? Is everything alright?"

"Sure, just wanted to ask you if I could go over to you this weekend," Hutaru wondered a little unsure, like always. It was a pity that such a bright young lady had to be born so insecure and introverted, "It's kind of boring here in the weekends, 'cause everyone goes home on Fridays..."

"Oh sure, Huta-chan!" exclaimed Serena, "Baby, this is your home! You can come here whenever you feel like doing so!"

"Gee thanks, Sere!" she acknowledged, "Well, I'll come around on Saturday morning, alright?"

"No, no," Serena objected, "I tell you what; I'll go and pick you up right after work on Friday?"

"Okay then," the younger girl agreed, "I'll be waiting by the main gates!"

"Righty, sounds great to me!"

"Okay then, I'll catch you on Friday then," Hutaru concluded, "I have to go now, I have a few seconds left on my phone card...bye"

"See you," Serena said before hanging up the phone.

She brushed her lose fringe away from her eyes, she had been in need of a hair cut in years but never got around to do it. Quickly, she walked back to her room grabbed a hair-band. After having played with the lengthy hair mane, she magiced a perfect ponytail. Looking at her watch, she decided that it was about time to get going to her work. She walked to the living room and seized her backpack. Heading to the bus station, she bought the morning newspaper and read it while waiting for the bus. Seemed like a calm mundane day, not even the newspaper had anything interesting to offer her. She wondered what Darien was doing at the precise moment. Would he be thinking of her? Or had he already forgotten about her and hooked up an easier, more sophisticated woman? A bolt of jealousy hit her spine, making her shiver. 'Who cares about him, anyway? He's just a regular player...who impressed me...hey what the hell; he's not supposed to be on your mind Serena!'

Three quarters of an hour later, she was in front of a group of dancers. Some of them were a few years older than she was, but the majority was about her age. She had good control over her group; age it didn't matter as she had a very obstinate attitude. She was treated with respect, intermixed with fear. She was right now showing the steps to "Tears of Pearls" by Savage Garden. The music was on but what the group of dancers were concentrating on were the "One, two, three, and four" Serena was shouting as she moved around. They practiced the moves she had just taught them a few times. Then they moved on to a more current song..."Blow Your Mind". Serena felt good about this song, the liked the hip-hop rhythm in it. That week's edition of the show would be on "Why Pop Artists Become Unpopular

After A While", so "Tears of Pearls", being an old song by an old pop-group fitted in that category...at least that was Serena's opinion.

As she walked out of the auditorium, sweating, with her backpack being supported by only one shoulder her mobile rung. She quickly got it out pocket and brought it to her ear. Who could it be now?

"Hello," she said starting to walk towards the bus station, meaning to go to the CIB building.

"Hi Sere," greeted a dominant male voice.

"Oh you," she sighed, "I'm not late! I'm on my way there!"

"No, no, I didn't call you because you're late," Darien explained, "You don't have to come today; Grandpa has that huge meeting we've been talking about for ages so he'll take all the papers you've been working with to get that deal with the construction company."

"Oh, damn..." she muttered, "What the hell will I do..."

Hearing his chance and yet pretending that he hadn't heard it he went on: "So I was wondering if we could have some coffee somewhere around here..."

"I'm sorry, Darien, but it just happens that my best friend is getting married soon and she'll probably use some of my help..." Oh damn, she should have said yes, why oh why was she so senseless? Now was too late to tell him what she really wanted.

"Oh," Darien pronounced, "Maybe we'll do that some other time..."

"Yes," she exclaimed lightly without thinking, "That's for sure!"

"Okay then," Darien concluded, feeling a bit encouraged by Serena's last words, "I'll see you around then..."

"Yes," she affirmed, "Bye, then!"

Having said that she hung up her mobile and continued walking to the underground station, but her aim now was her flat. She arrived just in time for a train to her zone. She sat down, cursing herself for not going with Darien to have a coffee. But now she had a whole afternoon in front of her...just to relax. Well at least that was one good thing!

Soon she was lying in her bed with her arms and legs stretched upon it. Listening to her slow breath, and feeling her continuous pulse, she was slipping into a gracious dream about the lover after her. Unfortunately, someone knocked on her door; she quickly sat up. Then she slowly unglued herself out of the bed, and slothfully towed to the door. With one hand rubbing her left eye, yawning, she pressed the doorknob to open the door. It was Mina, she wore a happy face, and in one of her hands, she embraced a scroll of paper.

The two friends walked over to the sofa, where Mina showed Serena the design of her wedding dress. She explained that it would take about three weeks for it to be finished, and that her mother thought that the dress was a bit modern. Serena observed the drawing: it had a heart-shaped neckline bordered by a gold string. It was tightly fitting from the breasts down to her feet, with a long slit on the left leg. The sleeves were bell-shaped and longer than the arms. And over the dress, there was an extensive, twinkling, translucent mantle. Personally, Serena agreed with Mina's mother; she wouldn't wear such dress if she were to marry...which, she thought, would not happen anytime soon. But she liked the dress, it was very creative. It was perfect for such an elegant person like Mina was; she'd probably look like a princess in it.

Mina hung around Serena's apartment for an hour or so before she left. It was time to go to buy the shoes with her mother, and she still had to pick her mother up at her hotel. Serena on the other hand went back to her room to take a nap. Perhaps her longing for Darien was driving her towards obsession, making her again glide into a Darien-filled dream. The dream evinced her wedding day. It was a slightly rainy day went she entered the chapel with her right food at the sound of the organ, and there was her Darien prepared to swear in front of God that he'll for eternity be truly hers. Later, after having blessed themselves with a long emotional kiss, they were welcomed outside by an intense rainbow, and a timid sun.

Serena had just arrived from work; it was a Thursday. She threw her backpack on to the sofa and ran to her room. She opened her wardrobe and pulled out what she was going to wear tonight. It was a pair of lavender pants with an embroidered dragon on her right leg. Then she put on a purple, long sleeved T-shirt and over it, she wore a white, short sleeved T-shirt. Dressed, she brushed her golden mane and redid her ponytail. Thereupon, she wore her black sandals with 2inch inch high heals. She looked presentable; she didn't care to look any better. Sitting on one of her puffy pillows, she turned the TV on, waiting for Amy and Zack to come and pick her up.

It wasn't long before Amy phoned her proclaiming her that they were down stairs waited for Serena to come down. Quickly, Serena stuffed her wallet into one of her hind pockets and seized her keys from the Japanese table. After having locked the door, she dashed down the stairs. Minutes afterwards she found herself in Amy's and Zack's metal blue Audi A6. In the front seats were her friends.

Soon after, the three friends joined Lita, Nick, Raye, and Joachim to dine in the Silver Millennium. Raye looked very sensual in her scarlet, bantam, strapless dress. She wore remarkably high-healed black boots with it, and her raven hair was done very fastidiously. The seven friends dined at Silver Millennium, and after that, they drove to a club by the Tames River. There, they met up with Mina and her fiancé Mariano Aino. They all occupied a table and ordered some drinks.

"Seems like you and Kim are back together," Serena noted to Raye.

"Yeah," Raye admitted, "Joachim is my soul mate, no matter what I do, I'll always come back to his love..."

"It was about time you rationalized that, Pyro!" Serena teased, sipping her coke.

"Hey," Raye shot back; "You shouldn't be talking, because it's taking you a hell of a long time to understand that the Chiba guy we met is the one for you. Hopefully, it won't be too late before you do realize it."

"Now where did you get that idea from?" Serena inquired curiously.

"Well, I met him at the agency and few days ago," Raye stated, "He was with a blue-haired woman who was trying some new clothes for her latest violin concert or something. I was out on my coffee break, and while the blue-haired girl was trying all sorts of dresses, we got talking. He ended up telling me about how much he was in love with you and how hard it was to talk you into going on a date with him."

"Him in love with me!" Serena commented, "That's bullshit!"

"No, it's not rubbish at all," Raye went on, "Perhaps it's true how can you know?"

"Oh, give me a break, the longest time one of his girl friends lasted was 6 days and a half and you think I'm supposed to take him seriously?" she pointed out, "Anyway, what did YOU say to his comments?"

"Well, I told him that you had to have a stable job and economy before you could start with relationships. I also told him that you are afraid of being heart broken, and therefore don't want to have anything to do with the business. And that you didn't like his macho way right from the start...well these kinda things, you know..."

"Yeah," she said half absentmindedly. 'So he told Raye that he loved me...' she secretly whispered in her mind as if afraid of something...like her cynical side for instance. 'Oh come on, Serena, don't be such a dumb ass! Do you really think that is the truth?' her inner voice questioned pessimistic as always. 'Yes, you do think so Serena, or else why would he say that to Raye...You have nothing else that might interest him but love!' her heart squeaked. 'Nada, Serena, don't be as naïve as your heart, just because you aren't rich it doesn't mean that you don't have other uses!' contradicted her inner voice. 'Like what?' asked her heart. 'Like being a potential of the CIB, and being used as an object to decorate the right seat of his Ferrari.' 'Oh shut up, you idiotic, pessimistic, unromantic fool. Let her love whoever she wants to.' 'Never, I will only let her love someone who wants her well!'

"Serena?" Mina called, "Are you listening?"

"Huh?" Serena articulated going back to reality, "Sorry, I wasn't listening..."

"Sere, are you all right?" asked Lita cautiously noticing a hint of preoccupation on Serena's face.

"No," Raye chipped in laughing, "She just dying to know who that vulgar blue-haired woman who stole her Chiba is!"

"For your information the so called 'blue-haired, vulgar woman' you are talking out is Michiru Chiba," Serena spat, "Meaning, Darien's sister. And if that isn't enough for you, she's married to the famous car racer Haruka Tenou, and they have a child together."

The whole group cracked up! She sounded so serious and natural about the matter that it sounded ironical. After the laugh Nick pulled Lita and Raye to the dance floor, soon after the rest of the group except Mina and Mario preceded them. The three that were still sitting watched their friends shaking down crazily!

"So Mina," Serena asked casually, "What are you going to do with your apartment? You haven't been there in ages!"

"Well," Mina informed, "After our wedding, I'll leave it..."

"Oh," Serena nodded understandingly, yet disappointed with the expected truth, "Life will be lonely without you close."

"But don't you think that you should find yourself a partner too?" Mario chipped in jokingly, "I know quite a few people that would be ready to love you back..."

"For instance?" Serena questioned, not believing a single of Mario's words.

"Well," he answered calmly, "Darien for instance...I mean he sounded serious about you last time we met."

"Do you know him?" Serena asked curiously.

"Yes," Mario replied cheerfully, "We've been close friends since College!"

"Well, if you know him that well then you'd probably understand that he's a major playboy!"

"That might be true, but I think he's serious this time. I mean it!"

"Nada!" Serena exclaimed not wanting to believe Mario's words. She stood up to hit the dance floor.

There she started to shake he booty, bringing the attention of many people, but of course as always she didn't notice. This time she was too busy worrying that she might fall in love with Darien some time soon. She had to find a way to not do that. Besides, what had he done that had impressed her so much? I mean he's been a senior macho, arrogant moron, so what did he do to get her attention? 'Well, apart from being THE most sexy man I've met on earth,' she admitted, 'He was also strong minded, and perseverant, and always tried to breaks limits, making his very radical...And he was one of the few men who respected her without fearing her much (unless she threatened with violence of course).' But why did it have do be a playboy, of all men on earth? It was obvious that Serena was head over heels for Darien, but SHE still hadn't realized it. The night wore on, and by one o'clock in the morning, when everyone was up in the dance floor doing their thing the disco had to close. This time Raye and Joachim gave Serena a ride home, as they were headed for Joachim's apartment, which was not far from Serena's. Serena was pretty sure of what the couple would be doing, especially with a drunk Raye...But she decided not to hint that she knew.

Friday afternoon, Serena found herself rushing to the CIB building to catch a glimpse of Darien, before going to Mr. Chiba's office. Darien, no longer popped in his Grandfather's office so often, after a certain incident. She entered Mr. Chiba's office quietly and found the whole family engaged in a deep conversation.

"Good afternoon," she greeted carefully walking to her desk.

"Ah, Ms. Tsukino!" began Mr. Chiba, "You did a good job organizing and counting all those numbers for me! I'll have to congratulate you for practically getting the deal for us!"

"Well, thank you Mr. Chiba..." Serena thanked humbly.

"We will have a big party at the end of this month," announced Michiru freely, "And we'd like you to be there, it's to celebrate Grandpa's 80th birthday."

"I'm honored to come!" Serena acknowledged surprised, as Haruka hand her the invitation.

"Wow," Darien broke in, "So you are going to accept that invitation?"

"Yes," she shot back in a more unfriendly voice, "Why wouldn't I?"

"Does that mean that you'll come with me for lunch tomorrow?" he tried.

"Unfortunately, I cannot," she declined sweetly, yet disgusted by his attempt, "My niece is coming over today and I'd like to send some time with her tomorrow."

"A niece?" Mr. Chiba asked interested.

"Yes, sir," Serena assured, "She's about 12 years old..."

"Oh, how wonderful, isn't it, Peter," Michiru emphasized turning towards a boy around 14 years of age, "Serena, take your niece along to the party!"

"Mom..." Peter groaned, "Now are you going to invite babies to the party? I don't believe this!"

"Shut up, Peter Tenou!" Haruka lectured, "You are becoming a spoiled brat, maybe I need to put some restrictions on you, to make you think before you talk."

"No, no..." Peter apologized, "I didn't mean it that way..."

After having been introduced to Serena as Michiru's and Haruka's son, Peter left the office with Haruka. Soon after, Michiru followed them, to buy herself and new violin for an upcoming concert. Darien hung around Mr. Chiba, talking about business for quite a while, from time to time, he would sneak glimpses at Serena, but of course, she wasn't watching.

No, she was starring at her computer inserting Mr. Chiba's personal expenses over the past month in an excel spreadsheet. But her mind was so disappointed to find that Darien was not looking at her, when she stole glimpses at him. She was beginning to think that he wasn't interested in her anymore.

Unfortunately, Darien had to leave for meeting, Serena felt her heart sink: he hadn't looked at her one single time since she had started working. Since when did she care? She sensed her two inner-selves starting a fight; she could not stop them, but focused more of the spreadsheet. 'You idiot, what are you doing to this genius of a mind?' lectured her mind angrily. 'Now, what did I do?' asked her heart bored. 'You, stupid, idiotic, naïve, brainless fool are making Serena unhappy,' the mind shouted. 'It would have worked just fine if you hadn't come in between with your pride, pessimism, offencesism, verbality, intolerance,' snapped the heart. 'For your narrow information the word offecesism does not exist,' the mind pointed out, 'And I was helping Serena, to make the right decisions.' 'What is "right" is not always the way to happiness,' the heart argued, 'Besides if you hadn't interfered than she's be happy with Darien right now, and she'd probably have a higher position it the work!' 'Hey that's true...' the mind agreed. 'But you never thought of that did you?' the heart boasted, 'Mind your idiotic self before you criticize others, Baka.' This battle was victorious for the heart, but the war hadn't ended yet...

"Serena," called Mr. Chiba from his desk. He had been observing her; she was much focused. She was one of her best workers, to say it plainly. He was wondering if he should move her to higher position. But if he did, he'd lose a very competent organizer...But right now, she seemed a bit disturbed.

"Sir?" Serena answered going back to reality.

"Are you alright?" Mr. Chiba asked, after all he didn't like to see his grand-daughter-in-law-to-be worried.

"No," she babbled out, "I mean, yes sir, I'm fine."

"If you say so then," Mr. Chiba ended, understanding that she didn't want to talk about it.

After work she ran down to the reception and ordered a taxi. It would take too long if she took the underground. Soon enough she was heading to Hutaru's school. It wouldn't have taken long to arrive to the Augusta Park Boarding School. But right at that moment she found herself stuck in the middle of a long car line. She wasn't too surprised, it was rush hour time, and most people were going back home from work.

Augusta Park was a school meant for the aristocratic, rich society of London; Serena knew that her modest niece didn't fit in very well in the environment. She also had in mind that Hutaru didn't make the least effort of fit in, and that she was quite independent from what people said about her. Serena was proud of her niece for having such a strong personality at such a young age. She remembered when she was twelve; she was a failing student, and was falling in impossible crushes all the time! But she changed since she entered High School, she was forced to because she knew that her family could not afford to pay her college and therefore had to work hard to reach for a scholarship. Since then her life had changed, friends no longer knocked at her door every moment of the day, and she had gone from the most popular girl to the geek of the High School. At first the used to cry herself to sleep, but then she got stronger and understood that her education came in first. She couldn't believe herself when she got the scholarship to one of the best universities in England.

Finally, the taxi stopped in front of the school's gates. Hutaru was patiently standing by them with her cabin bag for the weekend. Serena stepped out of the car and ran towards her niece, they hugged each other. Then without questioning anything the elder girl carried the cabin bag to the taxi. While driving home, Hutaru and Serena got chatting about school and corresponding matters. She learned that Hutaru was the top student in Junior High, and was considered THE geek, like always.

Hutaru had talked about her title indifferently, that for a moment anyone would think that she liked to be one. But Serena knew the façade, and was quite sorrowful to admit that her lovely niece could easily bear such title. This could be noticed in her pitiable appearance. She cursed the school for not being like normal British schools in forcing their student to wear uniforms. For Hutaru dressed in a very nerdy way, she wore old fashioned, flowery dresses, and wore her hair in two long braids. What made it worse however were her thick glasses. She wondered where Hutaru had learned to dress that way, certainly not from her mother! As they neared Serena's place, she had decided that Hutaru was to have a make over this weekend.

Serena prepared a special dinner for Hutaru and herself. It wasn't very often that she had family dining with her; in fact, family had never dined with her since she came to London. Her parents couldn't afford to visit their daughter, and even if Trista offered to pay the tickets, they did not want to leave their "safe" nation, the famous United States of America. Her brother was too worried with his studies to travel. Trista had visited her in between flights, but only for an hour or two. So, it was a great joy to have Hutaru dining with her that day. They had an obliging conversation during diner, which made Serena even more decisive that Hutaru must have a renovation of looks- swiftly!

"So," Serena grinned, "Apart from your intellectual life, do you happen to have an emotional life?"

"Well," began the helpless little creature, blushing, "Well, no...Not really."

"Ah, you are blushing!" hinted Serena deliberately, "Tell me who the lucky guy is..."

"Well, um..." she stuttered apprehensively.

"Oh come on, Girl," Serena encouraged, "It's like I'll tell anyone!"

"Well," Hutaru began once again, but this time more secure of herself, "It's a boy..."

"I would imagine so..."

"He is highly popular, and has all the girls after him..."

"Sounds not bizarre to me!"

"Well, he doesn't have a girlfriend, but he does flirt a lot with a certain popular girl."

"So, what's his name then?"

"Peter...Peter Tenou, they say his parents are homosexual."

"Oh! What a coincidence!"

"What, do you know him?"

"No," Serena half lied, "I just happened to meet his parents the other day..."

"Oh, were they nice?" Hutaru asked interested.

Their conversations swung back and forth like so as they finished eating. It continued as the two girls helped each other with the dishes, until they were up to see a movie. When the movie ended, they made themselves ready to sleep. They would share Serena's double bed. Hutaru went to sleep first, while Serena stayed up. Once she knew her niece was in slumber, she walked over to her phone and dialled her sister's number. Right now, Trista was in Tokyo, probably up and alive giving the final touches of her newest collection. The phone signalled a couple of times before Trista cheerfully saluted her on the other end of the mobile receiver.

"Hey, Tris," Serena greeted, "It's me!"

"Oh, hi, why do call me so early... did something happed to Hutaru?"

"Oh no! Huta-chan is fine! -But she's in a desperate need of a make over!"

"No kidding! But I don't guarantee any success upon you. My daughter is an enigmatic person...I've tried so hard to understand her, but in vain."

"Understanding her is quite easy: she is a normal girl who has feelings and is friendly and nice, but unfortunately had encounter with the title of 'Geek'."

"Good that I have you to understand her so well, now I wish you good luck with your idea..."

"I will succeed like always, Honey, but I need a bit of a capital for my reinvestments. And I was wondering if I could use some of the cash in Hutaru's monthly account."

"Oh yes! I was waiting for it to be touched! Sure, buy whatever you want with that money! I can't believe Hutaru hasn't touched a single bill of it since she came to London!"

"That doesn't surprise me at all, by the way where did she get the idea of those awful flowery dresses?"

"Ugh, New York...with my five-hundred -year-old mother-in-law, of course! This is why I was so eager to get her out of NYC!"

"I see," Serena finally said, "Well, I'm not a millionaire here, so phone calls to Tokyo cause holes in my wallet!"

"Well, bye...and good luck!"

"Bye."

The next morning was a happy one; Serena woke up all excited of what was to come. She turned around a found Hutaru still sleeping. She wondered what kind of style Hutaru would like best...But they would talk about it during breakfast. They would take a taxi to Oxford Street and enter the consumism civilization of some hours. It wasn't the most delightful visit for Serena, for she despised to shop; she only shopped when it was awfully vital. But it would be for a good cause, and that kept her interests alive... And of course, there was always a small expectation that they should meet Darien, a petite chance, that is for the street was huge and the shops many.

She delicately stepped out of the bed, and walked headed for the shower. Not long after, her niece found her in the kitchen making breakfast. It smelled delicious, just like pancakes with maple syrup, Hutaru's favorite. Serena, apart from her grandmother, was the best cook in the mother's side of the family. Soon enough Hutaru took a shower and ran to the breakfast awaiting her.

"Um, Huta-chan," started Serena, "I was thinking, the clothes that you wear...do you feel comfortable with them? I mean, nobody wears them nowadays, and well, honestly, do you like them?"

"Ah," Hutaru beamed, "Honestly, no. But my grandma says that-"

"Oh come on," Interrupted Serena, "Your grandma is a bit old fashioned...great! I need a new pair of pants, so I decided to go shopping to today. It would be cool if you came with me, then we could do a whole makeover on you, you know like buy stuff that you like and do a new hair style...stuff like that!"

"I know, Serena," revealed Hutaru, "You don't need to find an excuse to make me over...um I heard your phone call yester day...!"

"Uh, sorry," apologized Serena, sweat-dropping, "I just thought, well, since, well...Peter and all."

"I know, will take that offer!"

"Great then!" jumped Serena all winded up, "Let's eat quickly and get going! Oh, what a cool day it will be...but what kind of clothes would you like to have?"

"I thought, I always liked your style, you know," she giggled.

"Well then, my style it shall be!" chanted Serena before putting a huge pancake bit into her mouth.

After having cleared the table, and done the dishes the two friends headed down stairs, waiting for their taxi. In what seemed to Serena like forever, they arrived at Oxford Street. The taxi driver was very confused that the two girls coming form a poor neighborhood would stop at Oxford Street! Serena paid him and turning to Hutaru decided that they should first make a visit to a hairdresser. She consulted Hutaru on the type of hairstyle she would like to have. Surprisingly enough, Hutaru wanted her hair to be cut. Her aunt knew just what type of cut she would fit in. When Hutaru's hair was washed Serena popped by the hairdresser's side to command the haircut. The hairdresser seemed annoyed with Serena, but did not complain, as they were the ones paying. Finally it was done, it was a quite simple cut; Hutaru kept her fringe, but now her hair scarcely reached her shoulders. Hutaru was pleased with the cut; Serena somehow always seemed to know what she wanted.

Having received the change, they moved toward the clothing shops. But first they bought eye contacts to replace Hutaru's frightful corrective lenses. Serena was a quick shopper; in just two hours they had bought many pants, shirts, tee shits, shorts, formal dresses, and a few dresses. Serena decided that Hutaru should not wear the flowery dress she had been wearing, instead large bell shaped pants with a huge silver dragon embroidered on her left leg, a baby blue tee shirt, and a white tee shirt over it. Hutaru looked way cuter, and cooler in those clothes, and the little one had to admit that she felt much more like herself in the clothes.

They walked into a huge shop for evening clothing. Serena's idea: to buy something for both herself and Hutaru for the upcoming party at Mr. Chiba's place. Hutaru set eyes on a beautiful dark blue dress. It was of silk, quite unelaborated. Serena noticed that Hutaru, like herself admired simplicity. She sent her niece to try it out, while she looked for a dress to herself. It did not take before Hutaru came out of the changing room, which was situated close to where Serena was standing. The dress fit Hutaru perfectly, and she looked divine in it. It was soon decided that they should buy that dress, and Hutaru popped back in the changing room to change.

Meanwhile Serena found a dress, which she liked in both style and price. For the dresses in that special shop were normally of exorbitant prices. She guessed that the dress she saw was of a design of more than two years old. Serena looked at the label to see the quality of the material; to her surprise, it was a T. Tomoe dress out of lavender satin. She found it comical that she should be buying a dress that her sister had designed a few years before for a "Liberal Collection"! She took it from the hanging place and placed it congruent to her body, she was sure she fit beautifully in the dress. Just then she felt two fingers rapidly poking her waist-sides. She had only time to give an ecstatic grasp before two hands enclosed her eyes. Right then she knew that it could only be one person...there was only one person who did such silly things.

"Oh come on, Lita, it's no fun anymore," she hypothesized, "You've tried this trick too many times on me!"

But the hand didn't move away, and she heard Hutaru's voice saying: "It's not Lita."

If it was not Lita, only Raye could invent such jokes. "Raye!"

"Not Raye either!" Hutaru hinted, "Think someone unexpected."

"Amy?"

"Nope..." Hutaru informed, "Someone I don't know!"

"Mina?" Serena guessed again "No you know Mina!"

"No, Sere," Hutaru said, "Think male..."

"Mr. Aino?"

"I know who Mario is," Hutaru affirmed, "Look; I have seen this person once at your place...you weren't quite polite to him...um-"

"Pig!" Serena blurt turning around, "I mean, Darien!"

Yes, right in front of her stood the very beautiful Darien Chiba. Boy that was a surprise! Now how would she act this one out? Time to bring in her two "great" advisors...'Act normal, and friendly. Don't upset him' recommended her heart. 'What the hell? Did you see what he just did to you? Slap him four times!' her mind practically screamed. 'Oh shut up! This time let me be in charge! There is no harm in being nice to the poor man...' the heart ventured. 'You in charge? That is totally out of question!' her mind objected firmly. 'Come on, for a tiny moment...' her heart pleaded. 'No' the mind declined. 'Hey where in the democracy? You corrupt being...I've never been in charge!' her heart shot. 'Okay then, but once I see something going in the wrong way I'll-' 'Thank you, thank you, thank you!'

"Sere?" Hutaru asked after a long moment of awkward silence, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she answered, "I was just controlling my temper! Oh hi, Mr. Darien Chiba, comment ca va?" she then asked sardonically.

"Ca va bien, merci," Darien answered amused, "Now back to English, for French is not my preference."

"Then what you do you prefer, sir?" she questioned "Portuguese, Spanish, German, or maybe Japanese?"

"Serena, don't be cynical," he said seriously, "Plain old English is quite good."

"Fine with me!" she agreed, "That is the language in which I know all the bad words to call you!" 'You idiot, I didn't even let her say something!' her heart hollered. 'Oh sorry,' her mind apologized.

"Well," Darien answered, "That is also the language in which a can give answers that might irritate you, my dear."

"That's true," she gave in, "So we better not start, then turning to Hutaru, "This is my niece, Hutaru Tomoe."

"Pleased to meet you," Darien greeted shaking her hand, "My nephew would be very interested in seeing such a pretty girl!"

"Pleased to meet you too, Mr.," she crystallized quietly. At the moment she had made no connections, and didn't imagine that Peter might be coming soon.

"So, is Peter with you?" she questioned smiling, emphasizing the word "Peter".

"Yes, we came to buy an outfit for Grandpa's ball."

"Oh," she said moving towards the paying area, and then to the employee, "The two dresses are separate, please." She paid first Hutaru's dress, and then took her credit card and paid her own. Then, turning her to Darien again she said, "How nice! We could have that coffee you were talking about the other day!"

Darien was surprised that she had remembered! All he could manage was a yes. Serena was an enigmatic girl; he had never met such an unpredictable woman! Well, he had managed to at least bring her to a café, and if he's patiently hang on for some time, he calculated that soon he could invite her for lunch, and if he waited a little longer a dinner would come in hand.

The three people walked out of the shop to meet Peter. There, Hutaru blushed intensely. Peter waved "hi" to her smiling in dislike, however like her aunt didn't like his impoliteness and frigidly greeted him back with a "Do I know you? I distantly recollect your face, but I cannot recall from where... in L. A. perhaps?"

She could feel Serena almost letting out her laughter. But Peter spoke first, "No, we are in the same class, and your sit beside me in some on the classes." Now Serena had to crack up! Hutaru gave a sarcastic, innocent, apologizing smile. Darien asked clueless what was going on, while Peter just stood there not knowing what to think.

"I don't know who taught you to answer like that," she exclaimed in between laughs, "Let's get moving as it would be nice to have a coffee right now!"

The group found a nice coffee shop and sat down by a four-person table. They ordered their drink and food and started a nice chat.

"So Hutaru goes to Augusta Park?" Darien asked curiously.

"Yes," answered Serena, "Her mother is Trista Tomoe and her father Andrew Tomoe, why should she not?"

Darien didn't answer Serena's mocking question, but went on toward Hutaru: "So how is school, do you like it?"

"No, sir, I do not enjoy school," Hutaru smiled, and left the other half of his questioned unanswered.

"But she gets the best grades in the whole Junior High!" Peter cut in.

"Oh really? That is great! Then you must be very popular! How come I've never heard you talk about Hutaru, Peter? "

"Man, Darien, you are worse than a gossipy!" Serena exclaimed saving both adolescents from a nasty situation. "All your frequent dinner dates never stick with you because you are a privacy louse!"

"Frequent dinner dates?" Peter exclaimed, "Last time he dined outside was in April or something. He is totally head over heals for a girl who doesn't want him, surprisingly enough! Isn't life unfair?"

"In Darien's case, no," joked Serena, "He deserves such lesson!"

"But you have to agree that the girl has been a bit of a bitch!"

Serena laughed! "Oh, yes she has, she's has been a great bitch, (who did taught your such words, certainly no the teachers at Augusta Park, but I bet they're very descriptive sometimes) if you would consider a bitch to be awfully smart, intelligent, and less prostitute-like as the women who would accept his invitations!"

"How about we change the subject?" Darien suggested, "I feel as if Hutaru and I are feeling a bit outside."

"That is a good idea," Serena responded, "But next time, Darien, please teach your despicable little nephew some manners!"

Hutaru was ready to give to support her aunt, but she closed her tiny mouth before the uttered a word. Peter, kindly apologized Serena for what he had said, not knowing why she got offended...maybe the girl was her friend or something like that. He found it safer to get to know Hutaru, and leaving the two older talking businesses. He noticed that he had been staring a Hutaru for quite a while now...although she hadn't noticed because she was engaged in building a castle out of sugar cubes. He didn't exactly know that to say...he knew her as being the most unpopular girl in school and therefore had disliked her. But now he noticed that she pretty, and even with those flowery dresses and braids that she wore to school she was pretty.

"So what are you building?" He asked her, knowing exactly what she was doing.

"I'm trying to do a castle," she answered more polite this time.

"Oh," he said not knowing what else to say, and really wished right now that she would have given him a bad answer like before. An awkward silence fell upon them, and they could both hear their two friends disagreeing upon an issue. Peter tried again, "What do you think of Giovanna?"

"She is," Hutaru replied tranquilly, "She is a highly ignorant, absurd creature."

Peter didn't know what to say to that, he thought she was going to say something nice about his flirt. No girl talked bad about Giovanna in front or behind her back! But she isn't a friend of Giovanna's, so she supposedly doesn't care if what she just said reached Giovanna's ears. He kept quiet for a while, trying to find what else to say, he guessed that she only liked to talk about intelligent topics... Now what could be intelligent at the moment? He could think of nothing, but just then, he remembered one time that he saw her watching the World Soccer Cup some weeks ago with the boys.

"I bet you like football," he remembered.

"Yeah," she said shyly, "I love soccer!"

And so a conversation between the two young people finally commenced! They both enjoyed the subject, and quite agreed of the teams that should have won, or lost. By that time Serena and Darien and finished arguing about investing on the Stock Market. Darien looked to his side to find their little friends having a good time together. Then he turned to Serena and said:

"They are a nice couple aren't they?"

"You amuse, Darien," Serena snapped laughing lightly, "But yeah they kind of do look cute... It's very unlucky that they can't be together!"

"Why?" Darien inquired asked obliviously.

Trying to escape that question Serena looked at her watch, it illustrated four o'clock in the afternoon. She sincerely thought that is was a pity to announce that they two girls would be leaving, but it was getting late. She then, from her mobile, called for a taxi. After having saying their good byes, they left Darien and Peter. As they walked out to the taxi, Hutaru admitted to Serena that is was a wonderful day. It wouldn't be everyday that she would talk for two and a half hours with the popular Peter! Serena could only smile, in her case; she could converse with Darien whenever she wanted. She was sure that if she just called him, he would leave everything to come to her. And she heard what Peter had said; he really was in love with her...at least enough to last more than six and a half days. Maybe it was a good idea to let her heart lead the way today, but her mind had yet to return.

Still inside the coffee shop, Darien gave Peter a little lecture for saying that Serena was a female dog. Once Peter heard that "the certain girl" was Serena, he laughed. He didn't think she was bitchy anymore, because he was used to hearing his mothers say so many pretty things about her that he though she was the coolest person alive. He teased Darien for trying his luck of such a hard person, but soon admitted that he was doing pretty well in the process of conquering her heart. Then he thought about himself, and absentmindedly thought out loud that he "had a crush of the most unpopular girl". Darien of course had to ask about the person, and soon got the account of Hutaru's whole reputation, and how she was intelligent, and sporty, and good looking, and cool, yet unpopular. This is all because Giovanna had decided that Hutaru should be unpopular. Now Darien understood why they switched subjects whenever they came near the subject of her popularity.

Soon Serena and Hutaru entered the hall of the apartment building. Serena anxiously ran to the mailboxes to check if she had any mail. She did. Some bills, commercials, a note from the proprietor to announce the rent-day, and an unusual blue envelope with her name printed on it and with a stamp from the United States. It could be her birthday card from her parents as the 30th of June was just a fortnight away. She decided to open it when she got home. Together the two young misses walked up the stairs. As soon as they entered the apartment Serena threw her normal mails on the Japanese table and enthusiastically ripped the one of ends of the sides of the envelope. She took the letter, unfolded it, and for a few seconds read it. It wasn't a birthday card, not a marriage proposal form Darien either...It was something much better; it was a letter from the Time Glass Editorial, Andrew Tomoe's publishing company.

Her book manuscript was to be printed; they had accepted it! She could not believe her eyes, and asked Hutaru to read it for her and to pinch her to make sure it wasn't a dream. But no, it wasn't a dream... They said that she had a phenomenal, erudite writing style and her book's tale was peculiar, yet very engaging. They hoped that for the sake of the book's class, herself, and for their company, that it would be a best seller. Serena couldn't believe her life; it was almost like living in the celestial home.

Fin...Of this chapter that is...they is yet loads to come...no just kidding the story is eight chapters long, and an epilogue.


	6. Chapter 6: Again And Again And Again

Chapter 6: Again, And Again, And Again...

Monday, bloody Monday! Once again she sat by her desk typing in the computer. More than a hundred times has she looked at Darien in the last thirty seconds, only to find that he was not looking back! Maybe he isn't in love he her anymore. Maybe Peter just gave her some un-updated information. Maybe he had found another woman! Oh God knows! Serena stopped typing and literally slammed her hand against her forehead feeling frustrated, disappointed, and angry with herself. A sign of rage escaped her lips, making both men turn their attention to her.

"You look agitated today, Ms. Tsukino," Mr. Chiba remarked, "Is there anything which I could help with?"

'Yes!' she though in a frenzy, 'Get your play-boy of a grandson to look at me, now and then would be appreciated!' but all she really dared to utter was, "No, sir. I'm just a bit worried about graduation tomorrow, I mean if everything goes right I will officially become a jurist tomorrow, and my books is getting printed, and... I think I have a slight overload!"

"Gee, Serena, calm down," soothed Darien, " Take that over again...in nice complete sentences, so that we can understand."

Serena drew a deep breath to calm her tidal wave of negative emotions, and re-began, "The graduation ceremony is tomorrow...and I think I'm almost tense..."

"Lovely, my dear!" exclaimed Mr. Chiba, "We are invited to come, aren't we? At what time is it?"

"You're most welcome to come," Serena answered, "It starts at three o'clock, and I was meaning to ask you for permission to not come to work tomorrow."

"Of course-"

"...And what about that printed book?" Darien asked enthusiastically.

"Oh that isn't so important..." she returned, "It's just a manuscript of a book that I wrote...It's going to be printed, that's all."

"That's all?" Darien practically shouted surprised, "What do u mean that's all, we've got a multitalented genius inside this room that is working on things inferior to her capacity... and all she says is "that's all"! Grandpa, read my thoughts please!"

"Yes, Darien," Mr. Chiba seemed to affirm, "I completely agree with you...in fact Ms. Tsukino I was wondering if you would like to sign the contract the day after tomorrow. We are in need of a lawyer, as Mr. Jenkins has retired five months ago."

"But Mr. Chiba," Serena apprehended, "I'm not even through school, yet!"

"Well, you will be," he said amused, "tomorrow!"

Now, had she just thought "Monday, bloody Monday"? Right now, it's more like Monday, lucky Monday! She had just had a job proposal, one of the world most prosperous banks that's the way to start a career! Her book could possibly become a best seller, and if she made much money on it, she could become a full time writer. And most exciting of all Darien was coming to watch her at the ceremony. Things were actually going her way, after all these years of struggling! She was living in a physical dreamland!

A warm east breeze tickled Serena's face, tempting. She locked her sky blue eyes as she dried her forehead from the crystal sweat drops, feeling Eurus kiss her gentle face. So cool, so refreshing... The breeze breathed slower and slower until it finally died. She bent over a chair again, placing it in its respective place beside another chair, filling a third row. Right behind her was one of her colleagues, forming a forth row of chairs. Today afternoon would be one of the most important, unforgettable days in the whole life! The stage was splendidly decorated with all sorts of wild summer flowers. All her friends would later be sitting in one of these chairs, proud to see her standing up there! And she would be proud to feel that she'd made it, that she had attained her commitments all according to plan.

After having helped her fellow mates with the graduation preparations, she tripped into the university building, up to one of her professor's office. He had told her previously in the morning, her to come up when all the decorating was finished. She had hypothesized what the professor wanted to tell her...Like in most universities someone is a very exceptional. And that special someone would be honored to write a short graduation speech. She was perfectly right! The next one-hour of her last of her day in university was spent in the professor's office typing a speech. She was proud to be the chosen one, and so happy that she didn't mind working an extra hour.

Finally, the sun was slowly moving it's way towards afternoon. From behind the curtain, Serena and some of the colleagues watched the rows of chairs being occupied. At first only a few people arrived, but as the time ticked closer towards three o'clock more and more people pulled in. Some of them, who had arrived minutes before the ceremony started had to stand, she recognized none of the people standing. The bell of a church nearby struck three, and the principal, Mr. Bennett walked half way across the stage to a wooden stand. He set him papers of the stand and began his yearly, extended opening speech.

Soon after, he proceeded with calling the graduates into the stage, shaking their hands (to the boys), or hugging them (to the girls), and finally handing the diploma over. Serena last the last one to enter the stage. As she heard her name she straightened her black mantle, inhaled a deep breath, and confidently walked out to the crowd. Once she had received her diploma she marched to the far right of the row of graduates, and at that very second a sensational feeling of ecstasy, triumph, and self-satisfaction overflowed her heart. All nine of her dearest friends saw her, and she could tell by their smiles that they were all proud of her. Mr. Chiba and Darien, standing in one of the back rows were amazed especially when she was requested to give her speech. Hutaru gazed at her in awe, as she had always been Hutaru's role model. She didn't want this feeling to end, because she wasn't sure if there was any better feeling that this. She wasn't sure if she'd feel like this again in her life. She only wished that her parents and siblings could have been watching her.

The ceremony ended just in time! Once Serena was off the stage and all people were hurrying to the punch tables, her friends surprised her with a huge group hug! They were all complimenting her, and expressing their pride. The most surprising speeches were of Raye and Mina. They had flattered her by telling her how happy they were that she achieved her goal and finished her studies, and that she didn't them as a bad influence. She wasn't too surprised about Mina saying these words, as she had always been emotional, but Raye would have never said something like that to her. Raye and Serena and always had a friendship-bulling relationship, maybe Raye wasn't feeling so well, or perhaps she was just too hyper. She wondered if Raye and sneaked her way to the punch before the ceremony or something.

Finally, she having been released from their suffocation embrace, she grasped for breath. After having returned her normal pulse he looked up to see Mr. Chiba and Darien waiting to congratulate her. Mr. Chiba confidently walked over to her shaking her right hand while giving her a hug resembling partnership and maybe kinship. Darien of the other hand found himself apprehensive about moving towards her; he wasn't very sure what to expect of her. Serena faced his way to find him blushing, with his head overlaying his feet. She took it as a sing that he wasn't interested anymore. He managed to near her and give her a handshake, right now, he really wished he could act like he had done a few months before, but he couldn't. He was afraid he'd hurt her, or let his chance of her loving him slip away. He was trying to be perfect, he encountered himself changing his ways to please her, and he was trying to act nonchalantly but the ball of love inside his heart kept on growing at the speed of light for every second that hid his feelings. Secretly he fancied himself on top of a mountain with her, shouting those three special words. But in reality, he accidentally withdrew his hand sooner than both had expected. Serena was nearly sure that he wasn't after her anymore.

Nonetheless, Serena continued with her happy face. She had better reasons to keep it on, and a phone call to make. Finding so time to escape to the public coin phones, quickly, yet excitedly tipped to the phone hall. Soon she was dialing the number to Seattle, and next thing she knew she heard her mother give a shout of happiness, a shout that she only did when heart could bear more happiness! HerDad then took over the phone, he had a much less hysterical voice, but Serena could just picture his face, even from London. She heard her brother felicitating her in the background, this only made her smile. They talked until the phone had eaten the last value of her ultimate penny. Then she walked back to reencounter her friends.

"So," Serena started, "Who wants to come over today to grab some food?"

"What?" exclaimed Lita surprised, "You are actually going to invite us for dinner at your place?"

"Yes!"

"Wow," sighed Amy amazed, "We haven't dinned there as a whole group for four years!"

Mina had noticed her fiancé's friend's longing look. She knew they were all invited, and "they" meaning all eight of them, but she wanted HIM to come along too, which was mainly why she ventured to ask "Who exactly was invited" placing herself beside Darien.

"Well, as normal..." Serena answered dully, "Lita, Nick, Raye, Amy, Simon, Joakim, Mario, and you..." there was a bit of a silence when the finally understood what Mina meant. Should she invite him? Let's call the congress on! 'I say she shouldn't because he's already caused enough damage,' protested he rational depute. 'I recommend she should to see his reaction, because if he does say no then it's obvious he's dating someone else, but if accepts-' he spokesman from the emotional side attempted. 'That doesn't mean anything, because he can simply not have a date with the other one today...' the mind interrupted. 'We should do it for Mina's and Mario's sake...remember Darien is Mario's college friend!' now that one was a winner. 'You've got a point,' end of the debate... three to one for the emotional depute!

"You're invited too," Serena stated looking at Darien.

Wow! He had gone from coffee to a whole dinner, skipping lunch, just by acting aloof! If he kept this mask just a little longer he'd have her, and then he'd tell her everything that has been on his heart for all this time. He had figured out how to impress his lover, or so he thought... "I'm honored to come," he answered hiding all his want to just squeeze her in between his arms and passionately kiss her.

"Great then," she concluded excitedly, "We'll all meet at six o'clock!"

Serena was just starting to cook her special Chinese chicken curry, when the heard her bell ring. Last time she checked the clock showed a few minutes before five p.m., a bit early for any of her guests to be arriving. But she still walked over to the door, and opened it. The stood Darien a little uncertain of what he'd expect, with a tiny wrapped box. Serena motioned him to step inside, as he stretched his presents towards her.

"I didn't tell anyone to bring presents, you know," she observed.

"Well," he noted, "It's your graduation day...and your birthday is just a week away, so I might as well give it to you now!"

"How do you know when my B-day is?" she questioned a bit irritated, "I don't recall ever telling you that."

"We know everything there is to know about our employees, Ms. Tsukino," he answered trying to sound like a detective.

"Oh, why did u come so early, anyway?" she went on.

Darien was starting to think that Serena was a question machine! But he answered with a usual friendly tone, "I thought you'd use some help, after all cooking for ten people isn't that easy!"

"Gee, thanks," she, "Ok, then, start laying the table, then put the drinks out, and then u can help me with cooking the rice."

Darien just nodded and went right to work, but Serena was expecting one of his witty, boyish marks. Maybe he had just felt obligated to come to the party since his evening was free today. 'What a tough luck I have, now that I just started to like him...' she thought a bit disappointed. 'Now girl, it's good that you've just started, because you can stop to like him as easily as you started' comforted the mind. 'Like it was easy for me to get her to like him in the first place!' commented the heart, 'But then again, if he couldn't wait so long to conquer your love, then maybe he isn't worth your love,' she heart whispered, hating to admit that she was wrong about Darien. 'Now you're talking my language! See, Serena, we both agree just this one time about Darien. You should forget him,' advised the mind victoriously. Serena gave a deep sigh and walked to the kitchen, where she continued to chop chicken into small pieces. While Darien was looking for the drawer where the plates where, she glanced at him, almost ready to tell him which drawer it was, but just then, he'd found it.

Darien glanced at her triumphantly; he had found the correct plate drawer-after having opened almost all drawers. For the first time since Serena had started to wish him to glance at her, their eyes met. She tried to find out what message they send, those cobalt blue eyes, which drove her crazy with love! Figured, by the way they looked upon her, and by the way, they glittered that he could only be feeling friendship...only friendship. She might not be good at telling emotions by analyzing one's eyes, but it was plain to HER he didn't love her anymore. But who said she loved him the first place? Maybe she was just feeling affability towards him, as she's gotten to know him better.

Darien gazed into her sky-blue eyes. Oh, he was hypnotized; he loved her too much to gaze at them so intensely, without being able to kiss her, or hold her...or do something-anything! 'God help me!' he prayed silently, 'why did you make me fall for her, of all beautiful women on earth? Give me a sign, for Pete's sake!' He felt that her gaze was the gaze she showed to all her friends, why couldn't they gaze at me as much more than friends? 'Calm down, Dare, analyze the situation...You've gone from being the worst enemies to colleagues, to pleasant acquaints, and now you are friends...patience is a virtue my friend, that was his heart speaking...his mind never really interfered with heart's business, but right now he wished it would say something brainier than that of his heart.

The food cooking process passed in relatively total silence with both souls thinking about one another, doubting each other's sentiments. The curry was smelling delicious and the rice was put to cook. Darien sneakily tasted the curry with a little teaspoon; it tasted tantalizing! One more reason to love Serena even more than ever, but of course he kept finding reasons to love her even more than ever every minute of his days! She was driving him towards nuttiness, but she didn't know it yet...not yet, and maybe not ever.

The kitchen clock struck six, just seconds later they heard the bell. Serena ran to answer the door, eager to break their awkward silence. Amy and Zack, the most punctual couple, soon sat on the couch together with Darien, while Serena tipped to the kitchen to finish some last minute cooking, like making the salad. She couldn't help but to overhear a little of her guest's conversation; Darien was asking about the Mizuno clinic, and all of them seemed to be enjoying themselves. Not long after she could hear loud voices coming from downstairs. It could only be Raye, Joakim, Lita, and Nick. She shouted for one of the people in the living room to open the door. Before long, Lita came jumping in the kitchen with a bottle of

champagne in her hands. It was obviously for her, so without asking, Serena received it and put it o the table. Now they were only waiting for Mina and Mario. Being finished with making dinner, she popped into the living room to join all the others. The first thing she noticed what a life-sized firebird, flirting with her Darien! She calmed down, that could only be Raye, dressed in an outrageously short, bright dress. She looked at Joakim, she was practically green of jealousy, it was amazing that he managed to contain his emotions like that! But right now, her major thought was to find something to put Raye back in her place with her rightful man.

"Eek!" she screeched, "Who brought this colossal feathery animal into here? You all know I don't allow animals in this apartment!"

Everyone cracked up, some of them, including Joakim, and Lita, captured her jealousy. Nick finally said, "Don't worry, that's just plain old Raye...!" But that didn't bring her off Darien's lap! So Lita decided to give it another try.

"I feel so sorry for the poor man who marries Raye!" she exclaimed, "He'd have to have about as much patience as Joakim, starting by the way she dresses!"

"But Darien might also bear with me," she hypothesized not noticing Serena's and Joakim's grimaces, "I mean since he has so many gala's to go to."

"Hey that's true," Lita honestly agreed with her husband, "Either Joakim or a celebrity."

Darien was shocked with himself; he had Raye sitting in his lap toying around with his hair. What would Serena think? She'd probably lost all the tiny respect she for him. He wanted to shrug Raye off his lap, and have Serena in her place, but that would be impolite. Instead, he still had that flirtatious woman on top of him. Raye however, was enjoying herself! She was sitting on the world's sexiest man alive, Lita and Amy were probably envying her, her boyfriend was once again showing the face which proved that he loved her, and Serena...what was she doing? She didn't know nor did she care for the instant. For the third time, the bell rang! It was Mina and Mario, evidently.

Mina was completely shocked by Raye's position in the living room! She knew that "that" had a boyfriend, and also how flirtatious "that" was. But what was she doing with her fiancé's college friend? Stealing him from Serena? Didn't she know already? Mina thought that Raye had once, not a long time ago, when they were at the disco, tried to help Serena...but obviously she wrong. Before greeting everyone else she walked over to Raye, and whispered in her ear, "This man belongs to Serena, get off him!" Only then did Raye realize what Serena might be feeling, and quickly hopped off Darien. She had totally forgotten about Serena, how could she be so selfish?

Raye had enough time to walk to Serena and apologize, before dinner was served. Darien was relieved; he looked at Mina with gratitude. Joakim was thinking of was he'd say, when dinner was over and they were back home. But Raye would gaze at him with one of those manipulating, loving gleams, and he'd forget about his anger. The rest of the evening passed pleasantly, with the exception that Serena had purposely placed Darien and herself away from each other. Now she was quite sure that he didn't love her anymore, if really loved her he wouldn't have Raye on his laps so willingly. Darien was a bit disappointed with himself, but he didn't let her sit on his lap...she didn't even ask! How would he have a chance with Serena now? 'Gee, thanks

Raye!' he though, looking at Serena from across the table.

After dinner they reassembled by Serena's Japanese table. Raye, the most curious person of the group found a tiny, wrapped box on top of a bookshelf close to kitchen. 'Interesting, I didn't think Amy and Zack would bring presents! Why didn't they tell me?'

"Hey guys," the shouted excitedly holding the box up, "look at this! Aren't you going to open it, Serena? Or are you afraid it's going to be another one of Amy's band aid boxes...!"

Everyone laughed, and Amy blushed. Then Serena decided to speak, snatching the box from Raye's hands she said, "This is not from Amy, you Pyro, it's from Pi-Darien!" She unwrapped the present to see a dark blue velvet box. The box revealed a necklace, a pair of earrings, and a ring of a silvery metal, with emeralds in the shape of a flower. This must be the most beautiful pieces of jewelry she owned now! How did he know that she liked emeralds? All she could say at the moment was a "thank you", not to mention that she almost threw herself into his arms! Darien welcomed the embrace.

It was Friday already; Serena felt that the week had gone by too quickly! Yet, she was done so much during such a short time. Now she was a business lawyer! Soon she'd be able to get a better apartment, it a nicer part of town! The sun of life was clearly smiling at her. Now she was on her way to Augusta Park, to pick up Hutaru. And the day after was the party! She felt so excited, yet disappointed that she'd find Darien with another woman in his arms.

Hutaru was once again by the main gates; Serena quickly stepped out of the taxi and taking Hutaru's cabin bag, let her in. Once inside, she started to question her niece of the upcoming party, and then Peter. Hutaru told her that, he hadn't even exchanged a word with her over the whole week! Serena understood, it was typical for popular boys; they never dared to talk to a normal girl just o secure their reputation as "cool". Poor Hutaru, why did she have to a crush on him of all boys in that school? Or was it in Peter's blood to be a player? She wouldn't be surprised.

This day the two friends went to watch a movie. They had a fun evening, and both of them managed to forget about their heartthrobs for a while. Half way through the movie Serena had to pay a visit to the bathrooms. When she came out, she noticed Peter. She decided not to talk to him, but he had seen her and was walking towards her. A pretty, blonde girl accompanied him.

"Hey Serena," he greeted, "what's up?"

"Yooo," she answered playfully, "nothing much...just seeing a movie with-"

"Oh," he interrupted in a low voice, and then turning to the blonde he said, "This is Giovanna. Giovanna, this is Ms. Tsukino, one of the CIB business lawyer, and my personal favorite!"

"Nice to meet you," Giovanna tried to be polite, but her snobbish tone destroyed her façade.

"Um, Gio," Peter said, "Could you get us some popcorn before our movie starts..."

"But I thought you didn't like..." Giovanna protested.

"Just go!" he replied irritated, "I want it today, alright! Besides, I have to have a private talk here."

Giovanna left, frowning by the way she'd been treated. What was so private about that stupid lawyer, who looked young enough to be her sister and wore ghetto clothes?

Once she was gone, Peter started to Serena... "Please don't tell Hutaru that you saw me with Giovanna here!"

"Why? Like she'd care..." Serena snapped.

"Maybe she won't care," he said pausing think of what he was going to say, "Just please, I beg you not to tell her! I don't want her to know...I just beg on you!"

"Um, yeah," Serena promised putting a bored tone, "Whatever you say...humph!"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he literally shouted, and then with a lower voice he asked, "Is she coming to the party tomorrow?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if she did," she sustained carelessly. She knew by now that Peter was heads for Hutaru! It was a pity that she'd promised him not to tell anything. But on the other hand, maybe that was a good sign, to not put any fake hope into her niece's heart. She walked back to her movie, and said nothing about her encounter outside the theater.

Finally, the big day had arrived! Both girls had been eager for this day to arrive. Now it was here, and they were beautifully dressed, with their hairs superbly done, on their way to the Chiba Mansion. As they entered the gates, they showed the invitation, and proceeded into the garden, and further into the hall of the house. There, Mr. Chiba, both Mrs. Tenous, and Peter greeted them. Serena spotted Darien blend in the crowd of guests hearty laughing with a redheaded woman. 'So that is her...' Serena thought losing all her hope of him and her. But she almost forgot her heart-wretchedness, when Peter willingly told Hutaru that he would show her around! Hutaru was extremely surprised, while Serena had just another proof for her theory. Right now Hutaru was in a real dream! Lucky for her that she didn't have emotional fights with her heart and mind and because of that she'd get him sometime soon!

When Hutaru and Peter had left the four adults started to move into the crowd of people. Mr. Chiba was busy presenting Serena all of the persons that he stopped to give a quick word with. She seemed to be his pride this evening; at last, she managed to get away from all the presentations, when the orchestra started to play a waltz. She was asked by Mr. Chiba to dance, that she could not refuse. While dancing, Mr. Chiba complemented on how well she danced, etceteras. She also noticed that Darien, on the other side of the huge room was dancing with the redhead, her eyes saddened a little. Mr. Chiba saw this, but didn't bother to ask, as he knew that she wouldn't tell him. But he was worried, what was this problem that she had that never seemed to leave her? He'd ask Darien to ask her for him; it seems that they were close to each other.

Darien and noticed a long, gold curls fly around the upper half of the room. There was his goddess in that beautiful lavender dress floating along the polished floor with his grandfather. He envied his grandfather for a moment. There he was, dancing with Athena, while he was stuck here with Medusa! The waltz ended, and was quickly flowed by a bolero. Darien technically ripped himself out of Beryl's body, and quickly walked in between the confusion of people towards Serena. He wanted to dance with her this dance...no matter what!

After having drawn away from Mr. Chiba, Serena was asked to dance by an extremely fit, blonde man. Since she was at the party to have fun, the accepted to dance with him. Darien saw this, she hadn't noticed him yet, but he'd get her to dance this bolero with him even if it mean splitting Serena and Mr. Diamond in the middle of a dance. Serena stared dreamily at Diamond's green eyes; he was so slick! Slowly she felt two familiar hands encircle her waist, she let go of Diamond, and whispered ecstatically "Darien".

"Yes, it's me," he said under his breath in her ear, feeling his heart race. He had never in his whole life felt his heart race at such speed for a girl, "Care to dance with me?"

"Excuse me," informed Diamond annoyed, "I was dancing with the lady!"

"Yes," Serena spoke inaudibly to Darien, ignoring Diamond's comment. She was racing with bliss, "I want to dance with you Darien, only dance with you..."

Darien smiled at what she'd said, although she had spoken to low for him to hear the last words that followed his name. He felt the delight in her voice, even if it was just a whisper, and as he pulled her closer to him, he felt her heartbeats. Her heart was racing for him! Only in a dream, he'd thought this would happen. Diamond, seeing that both were obviously in love decided not to bother them, although he found it surprising that Darien seemed so into the girl. The couple danced and danced, foxtrots, tarantellas, minuets, and flamencos flew by as the couple danced graciously without intervals. They only stopped when they saw curious glances being thrown at them. Their last dance for the moment was a tango, and they made a rather stylish ending, with Darien's incredible strong left arm supporting Serena's back while she looked as if she had fallen and Darien had just caught her from the fall.

After the dance Darien and had the courage to hold Serena's hand. He didn't understand why she wasn't putting any barriers in between them that night, but he didn't bother to ask! It was going to be a perfect evening! Without thinking he led her to Beryl, he was going to show Serena to her, since she'd been curious about the "Special girl that he was talking about". They walked to the lower half of the room, to meet Beryl. Beryl had clearly seen what happened in the upper part of the room, and noticing that Serena was by far more beautiful than she was, she got extremely resentful for the stupid blonde. And now Darien was leading her blonde to her direction! No! She had to find a way to split them, quickly!

"Beryl," Darien called when they were close enough, "This is Serena! She's one of the CIB lawyers."

"Oh," Beryl answered lowering her long eyelashes, "I'm Beryl, Darien's girlfriend."

Serena's smile faded, so she was that his girlfriend.

"EX-girlfriend," Darien corrected aggravated, "I haven't had a girlfriend since the beginning of April."

"Well," she pointed out, "If you're going to have one now, please don't lower your standards for a commoner like her, the are a lot of aristocrats who are just waiting to fall into your arms."

Serena was shocked, how could such a bitch be saying things like that to her? She was just going to reply the woman, but Darien talked first.

"She might be a commoner, like you say," he started, "But at least she isn't ready to fall into my bed at the first chance! And by falling for Serena, I'll have to say that I've taken my standards to a much higher level! Now if you'd excuse us."

Darien led her out of the crowd, into a little tiny balcony. Both of them leaned against the cement reel.

"I'm sorry," Darien said with his hand brushing away the bangs covering his eyes, "I'm sorry for everything I have said, done, and put you through! Beryl was so eager to meet you; I didn't know that she'd be insolent. She seemed as if she wanted to be your friend and I never though..."

"It's alright," she soothed, "You don't need to apologize in her place. Besides, she didn't manage to hurt me."

"Are you sure," he looked seriously into her eyes.

"Sure," she smiled, and then stopped. Serena heard murmurs coming form the garden downstairs, "Listen!"

There was silence for some seconds, and then the murmur started again. It was getting louder and louder, as if two people were nearing. Darien and Serena both leaned a bit further in the reel to see who they persons were. It was Hutaru and Peter. Right now Hutaru was giggling a little.

"No really," Peter said convincing, "I mean it!"

"Oh come on!" Hutaru exclaimed in disbelief, "Nobody gets scared over a mouse nowadays!"

"You wanna bet?" he asked sneakily.

"Ok, maybe they do," Hutaru gave up.

Silence took over them again. A quarter moon seemed to smile from the heavens and the stars to the blinking encouraging at Peter. Should he tell her now, or not? He stopped abruptly, making Hutaru also cease to walk. Peter let his hand slip around Hutaru's slim frame. She shivered feeling a rush up her spine. Hutaru knew that Peter must be the expert at these things, and that she shouldn't fall too deeply in love with him for on Monday he will not notice her, and act as if they didn't know each other. Peter looked into Hutaru's dark eyes, he could see purple reflecting on them, and he loved those eyes.

"You are so pretty," he sighed catching his breath.

"You make me laugh," she replied seriously.

"I mean it," he emphasized in the most earnest tone, "I think I've had a crush on you for ages!"

"That you only say right now," she cried, "But on Monday you go back to your group and pretend that I don't exist!"

"Yes I've done that," he admitted, "But that was because I was confused, I had just realized I have had a crush on your for ages! And on Friday I stayed after school to find you, I ran all over the school buildings, and you weren't there. I went to the library, were I always see you, and you still weren't there! And instead of watching a film with you, I ended up watching it with Giovanna! Do you think that is fair?"

"I didn't know you were looking for me!" Hutaru spat, "My life isn't just school!"

Peter just noticed that they were having an argument. It was so pointless! He didn't want this; he wanted to love her, not to fight her! Without thinking twice, he pulled her body to him and kissed her lips. Hutaru was totally flabbergasted by his move, she didn't think he would ever do this to her. Oh, it was really true then! He really had a crush of her! 'I am in love with him!' Hutaru thought full of joy.

Peter slowly withdrew from her lips and breathed, "I'll never pretend that I don't know you, trust me!"

"Ok," Hutaru managed blushing.

"You're not really experienced in kissing," he said purely, "But I like it, it feels so special when your lips tremble like that!"

Hutaru blushed again, as Peter grabbed her hand and started jogging, "I'll show you the rose garden!"

Serena and Darien watched the pair run to the rose garden. They looked at each other and smiled.

"Oh, they are such a cute match!" Serena exclaimed with joy.

"Hmmm," Darien sighed, resting his head of his right hand.

"You don't think so?" Serena insisted in disbelief.

"I do think so," Darien stated standing up, "But I believe that we are an even better match, Sere!"

Serena just stood there dumbfounded, what was he saying right now? 'I think he had too much punch!' Serena thought wittily. But deep down she knew he was serious, drop dead serious! She forced herself to think that it was just a joke, but why? She didn't want to put her heart of the line.

Darien placed his hand of her maw, delicately caressing the lower half of her chin with his thumb. And he spoke again, "I love you, Serena, and there is nothing anyone can do to change that! No matter how much you despise, or hate me, I will still love you. And I will be waiting until the day you want to be with me, there is nothing I wouldn't do to be with you, not even eternity is not too long to wait for you."

"Very poetic," Serena commented trying to sound sarcastic.

"You might not believe me, but these are the purest words that my heart had ever allowed me to utter," Darien said, and then he unconsciously hissed, "It's been hell watching you dance with Diamond!"

Serena by instinct hissed back at him, "And you think it hasn't been hell for me to watch you flirt with all the women you meet?"

She had just uttered the magic words. It was clear to him that she was trying to hide her feelings from him, but now she had just said it. Slowly he let his hand trace its way from her throat to her chin. He tenderly lifted her head up to his, as he lowered his own head. She knew what he was in the process of doing, and she had time to give him two cement-hard punches, but she didn't do it. She found herself wanting to be kissed by him. At last, his lips landed on hers, Darien felt the slight quiver in her lips. He could feel that that was her first kiss by her inexperienced ways. Peter was right; it made him feel very distinct, as if he was the only one who truly belonged to her. Seconds later she broke away, drawing steps backwards until she had her back against the wall. Supported by the wall, she managed to overcome the weakness in her knees, and managed to stammer, "That was my first kiss..."

"What?" Darien said feeling frustration enter his body, "Am I not good enough to share it with you?"

Serena didn't bother answering him, she wasn't even sure of what he'd said! She was in a ecstatic shock right now, and all she could really bring herself to do what to let her index finger glide, from right to left along her lips. While Darien leaned against the reel again, with his head resting on his right hand. He had kissed her! He Had Kissed Her! HE HAD KISSED HER! ...That was the only thought that went through her head for a few trices.

Ultimately, when she had calmed down, and a little more control she whispered, "Darien..."

Darien quickly turned his gaze from the cement reel to her. He watched her from the corner of his eyes. Serena didn't wait for him to answer, not that she was waiting for and answer in the first place, but she went on, "Darien, I want you to kiss me again!"

Now that was unexpected! He had been with many girls, and as far as he few, whenever they wanted a kiss they would deviously play with his hair, or shirt... they would do anything but make him such an earnest statement! Serena was, undoubtedly, and enchanting box of surprises that messed around with his feelings like a clown juggling eggs. Many times had she been on the line of dropping those eggs. He took a step towards her, and kissed her again, this time her muscles weren't as tense, giving him the leave to deepen it a little. Moments later, he ended the kiss, butterfly kissing her on the neck.

"I want you to kiss me again, and again, and again," she breathed.

Without wasting any time, Darien obeyed her command, elated to do so. Serena on the other hand, let her body to be embraced by him. And, as she was starting to get the hang of kissing, and letting herself relax. She permitted her hands to slide up his shoulders, then tying themselves around his neck. Then they climbed up his neck, and dove into his gorgeous, thick midnight black hair. Her fingers found it really amusing to toy around with his hair. Long, long after, they both broke away from their kiss grasping for breath. Then Darien dedicated himself to rest butterfly kisses all over her temples, ears, jaw, and neck, while Serena put him through and oral questionnaire.

"If you love me, then why have you been acting so aloof these days?"

Darien leaned his forehead against hers, "Because I thought you liked it, since you suddenly became so much friendlier towards me," he explained and went on... and then he paused and said, "But I'd like us to start something true... I mean we could be at least friends!"

"Yeah, at least friends," Serena emphasized.

"Care for a dance milady?" he asked.

"I'd love to dance!" she nodded.

And so Darien led what he felt was his lady into the ballroom again. Another waltz was playing and they danced it with pleasure. Darien had noticed that Serena had not told him that she loved him, yet. But he understood that she had a bit of a difficulty to put her truest feelings into words, and let her actions be her declaration.

It was quite after breakfast when Serena sat alone in the living room meditating about the day before. She wasn't sure of how to feel, she didn't know if she really was in love with Darien or if it was just some physical attraction. Although she felt a strange feeling in heart that she couldn't really classify. She didn't how he would react next time they met; she didn't want them to start and relationship yet. But she never regretted her sharing her first kiss with Darien. On the other hand, maybe that was just what Darien wanted, to kiss her and now he was moving on to another girl. And again, there was a feeling of anxiety trapping her heart. She found herself fancying their future and how happy they would be together walking in a park, or maybe dining at Mr. Chiba's chateau.

The bell ding-donged. She jumped up in anticipation, it must be Darien! But how would she act? She wasn't sure...Nevertheless she drove herself to the door, and opened it. It wasn't Darien. She felt a bit disappointed, yet relieved. But it was close enough to Darien, for beyond the door stood a miniature of him...Peter. He smiled at her happily. She greeted him gaily.

"So," Serena half joked, "Watcha doin' in this part of town?"

"Um, well Hutaru told me she'd be at your place over the weekend," he explained.

"You came here alone?"

"Oh, no! Darien was just finding a parking place for the car."

"Damn!" Serena swore.

"Why, thought you'd made up and everything was towards flourishing between you two..."

"Well," Serena said, "maybe, but not yet."

"Um, whatever," Peter mused, "you adults are complicated! I just hope Hutaru won't be so obscure as you two are. By the way, where is she?"

"Oh she'll be back soon, she just went to get me so milk," Serena told.

"Oh, what do you think, Serena," Peter asked for advice, "Will Hutaru want to be my girlfriend?"

"I'm pretty sure she'd want to," Serena insured.

"Well, should I ask her to be mine now?" he inquired insecurely.

"Now or never, Honey!" she encouraged, "Wait I hear steps, let me get the door."

Serena opened the door just as Hutaru and Darien set their feet on the top stair. She blushed. Oh, was it so hard, now he seemed like a stranger to her, suddenly. She had to be cheerful, Serena you can pull this one out, come on girl!

"Hi y'all," she choked out as a huge sheet of something covered her vocal organs, making her voice sound much quieter, "Huta-chan,you have someone waiting for you in there!"

"Oh yes, I know," Hutaru informed happily, "and you've got someone waiting for you to tell him to enter out here!" she exclaimed running into the living room.

"Girls," she mumble as Hutaru ran in, and then turning to Darien, laughing nervously she said sweat-dropping, "I have no clue of what to say to you..."

" 'Please come in' would be a nice thing to say right now," he laughed along, "But after that you don't need to say anything more."

"Ok...um, please come in, Darien-chan," she voiced almost sarcastically.

Darien stepped in to find the couple of youngsters have gone to the bedroom, to their private talk. "You'll never change, and I have to get used to your fiendish, sarcasm and cynicism even now?"

"Well, if you hope for the better, then yes," she reported, "Otherwise, it's easy..."

"Serena," Darien stopped her, walking towards her, and then embracing her, a gesture that he would never have done again just a month before, "You don't need to fight me now, remember! We're friends now, if not more then that."

"No we're not more than friends," Serena corrected, she saw Darien's eyes distress a whole lot as the spoke with authority, "at least not yet." Her timbre turned more affectionate as the caressed Darien jowl fondly, "Please understand!" she then begged.

"I don't," Darien admitted, but upon looking at her pleading eyes he added, "But I'll pretend to, until you're ready to want me as I want you."

"Thank you, Dare-chan!" she said cheerfully, "Gotta love you for that!"

Darien laughed, this might be informal, but she had actually said she had to love him! Wow! Things were going well for him, very well indeed! They heard laughs from the other room, and ran to check out was really was happening.

"Oh no, Peter," Hutaru said in between laughs, "This will be the

headlines of the school newspaper, "King Of Cool Enamored With Princess Of Geeks!' that won't be comfortable for your reputation!"

"I don't care about my reputation, Hutaru," Peter snapped seriously, "I want both of us to be happy, and you just have to say one word and both our wishes will come true, Hutaru!" and then he pleaded, "Say you want to be my girlfriend, Huta-chan!"

Hutaru pretended to be thinking about it for a few seconds, and then she threw herself to Peter, with her arms hugging his neck. "Is 'yes' the word you want?"

"Yeah!"

"Fine then," she gave in, "Yes! I want to be yours, forever and ever!"

"It's good that you're not as headstrong as Serena!" Peter laughed, "I feel so sorry for Darien...Can you believe this? She was kissing he yesterday and now she doesn't was to be his girlfriend! I wouldn't be surprised to visit my uncle in a mental hospital in a few weeks..."

"Jesus, you are so mean," Hutaru smiled lightheartedly, "What do you expect? First of all comes her career, once she moves out of this part of town thing will look brighter! On the other hand do you think she would put her feelings at such risk so suddenly for such a playboy like your uncle? Thinking about it I should do like Serena is doing!"

"Oh no, Hutaru, don't you dare!" Peter said a bit afraid.

"Fine, fine," she comforted Peter.

By the door, Serena and Darien started to retreat to the living-room. Now Darien understood why Serena didn't dare to be with him. 'Of course, how can she just suddenly trust a guy like me in just two months?' He understood her reasons better, but he felt a bit disappointed that he had to be such a womanizer. 'I hope she'll trust me enough to be my girlfriend soon! But it's good that she knows and accepts my feelings...I'm an almost happy man.'


	7. Chapter 7: Out Of MY Life

Chapter 7: (Get) Out Of My Life!

Hutaru and Peter were dating for some weeks now. Summer vacations have hit upon them relaxingly. She was not the geek princess anymore, and suddenly she was cool in the eyes of many students. When I say many I mean many for Giovanna was so fuming at Hutaru, she'd stolen her boy and gained a good reputation. That was bad enough. But that didn't bother Hutaru or Peter, all they cared about that that they were happy.

Darien's relationship with Serena, however, hadn't changed much. They were much friendlier towards each other, and Darien reminded her almost everyday that he was in love with her. She was to move her office from Mr. Chiba's room to give way to another private organiser. That same afternoon she packed all her papers from her desk into a box. She'd share her office with another lawyer, that is Darien. Darien was so excited about this change, and as for Serena, she felt a bit apprehensive about all this. She didn't know what to expect of Darien, but she agreed to share office with him, having Mr. Jenkins old desk.

"So," Darien asked the morning after the move, "Do you like it here? I know the room is not as big and my grandpa's but I think it cosier that way!"

"Um, yeah, whatever you say," Serena muttered barely looking up from her papers.

That hurt Darien a little; she was so concentrated in her job that she couldn't even talk to him a little. And he, he could not concentrate on his work because of her! Why was life starting to be unfair to him? Until lunch she didn't make the least effort to talk to him, the only person she talked to in the whole four hour period what his secretary on the room beside his. But that of course only happened when she needed her to make some photocopies.

Finally the clock stroke twelve. Darien was heading out for lunch, and asked not-so-as-a-matter-in-factly if she's like to have lunch with him.

"So do you have any idea where we came eat?" He asked after she had agreed.

"Well, how about we walk to the Silver Millennium, and have lunch with there?"

"Sounds great to me!"

The two walked through the streets of London to the Silver Millennium. Serena immediately started to talk about a case of lawsuit against the banks. Darien was a bit annoyed that she had to talk about work even during lunch break, but he himself couldn't find anything else to talk about so he didn't complain. Instead he observed her...She wasn't dressed like a lawyer at all. She was dressed more like an artist of some kind. She wore a pair of baggy jeans, and a checked shirt what almost too big for her, she wore it open revealing the white T-shirt inside it. Her clothes didn't bother him, for like Mr. Jenkins she wasn't a leading lawyer, who would appear at the trial, no she did the hard work behind the scenes. Well to make it correct both Darien and Serena both worked hard, but Darien received all the fame and glory. Serena was comfortable with that, she wanted to live a normal life, and as long as she got her correct paycheque it was all right with her.

They reached the Silver Millennium and Serena's friends greeted them. Darien didn't expect that! He thought they were going to eat by themselves, but them again he should have realised that when she said Silver Millennium. It was not that he didn't like her friends but he wanted to be alone with her. Now was too late. They sat by a long table where he found Amy, Simon, Joakim, Mina, Raye, Lita, and Nick. He sat beside Serena.

During lunch, her friends all noticed how Darien never took his eyes off Serena, and how he always seemed to be touching her in little ways. The most surprising thing was that she didn't seem to mind him! Darien was heads for Serena, and Serena was letting him be so! Or maybe they were am item, but if they were then she would have told them. Finally Lita decided to ask Serena, and made an excuse to drag Serena into the Kitchen so that they could talk.

"Serena, what's happening that you didn't tell me?" Lita asked excited.

"What do you mean?" Serena said confused.

"Well, I've noticed that Darien is all lovey-dovey on you, and you're not even pissed!"

"Oh that," Serena realised blushing, "It's nothing really..."

"Oh come on, are you guys an item?"

"No!" She exclaimed hurriedly, "I don't know, I just don't know Lita! One moment it's like I'm hating him, the other I'm thinking about him, the third moment I don't trust him, and forth moment I'm kissing him. Lita, I'm so confused! You'll just have to wait until I sort things out."

"Ok I won't ask you more," Lita gave up, but the had got a bit of a juicy information anyway, "But you'll have to tell us all the details of that kiss when you've figured yourself out, promise me that?"

Serena smiled, Lita would never change, "I promise," she assured. The two friends returned to the table.

Meanwhile in Darien was talking to Nick and Mina.

"I swear," Nick warned after Darien had admitted to Mina how crazy her was for her best friend, "You break Serena's heart and I'll personally screw you."

"Ok, I get it Nick," Darien laughed, "But nobody will screw her for the damage she's doing to my heart!"

"That's not for me to worry about!" Nick joked along.

Suddenly Serena popped in between Nick and Darien. Darien was relieved to be separated from Nick.

"So, Mina," Serena said lightly, "Where's Mario?"

"Oh he's working," she smiled, "He had an extended meeting with a client. Oh Serena, it's a girl client, really pretty, I saw her this morning..."

"So, no wonder you're not yourself today!" Serena laughed, "Have you seen the woman before?"

"No, she seemed to know a lot about cars and was talking about the new game Mario's company is going to release..." Mina recalled, "She was dressed like a man, actually, but one could she how sophisticated she was, oh Serena."

"Oh don't worry, Mina," Darien chipped in, "I remember Haruka phoning Mario this morning about the new formula one game he's releasing. Mario and Haruka never get along anyway, and besides, Haruka is married...well not really, but I'd kill her if she broke Michiru's heart!"

"Oh," Mina said apologising, "I didn't realise. Sorry."

"Oh it's ok, I know she's a flirty girl and she likes to make Michiru jealous," Darien laughed, "Just don't worry."

"Um, Darien-Pig?" Serena asked standing up.

"Yeah?" he answered, it was nerve whacking to her that name...

"I need to take this afternoon off," She started, "I'm moving apartments and I need to supervise those moving people. They will drop by and pick up my stuff in about a half an hour, so I'm going."

"Hey you didn't tell me you were moving!" Darien said startled.

"I just did," she replied.

"Hang on, I'll come with you..." he volunteered.

"No, I am perfectly capable of handling my own things," she hissed, "Besides you have work to do."

"Ok then," Darien said disappointedly, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow..."

But Serena was out of the room. Darien sighed and tried to go back to work. He didn't understand Serena. The other day she wanted him to kiss her, and now she doesn't even want his company! He shook his head as if trying to shake Serena off his head.

Serena on the other hand ran to catch the bus to her apartment. She arrived just in time to the moving people. Not a long time after she had arrived she was helping the men bring the furniture down to their truck. She didn't have as many things as she thought she had. In her room, she only had her bed, night table, wardrobe, curtains and a travel bag with her bed sheets and clothes. In the bathroom her brushes and the washing machine. In the living room her TV and Stereo sets, the puffy pillows, her sofa, the Japanese table, the dining table, the chairs and puffy chairs, the shelves, curtains, and boxes with her books and Japanese ornaments. In the kitchen, the only room that she almost truly regretted to leave behind, for she had spent time and money when she renewed (by herself) four years before, she only took kitchen utensils and the curtains.

With the help of the men, it took them less than an hour to leave the room totally empty. Serena took a last look at the apartment. She wasn't used to shredding tears, but this time a single tear ran down her cheek as she closed the door to what had been her home for five years. She didn't notice it thought, as she had other things like handing the key to the landlord to worry about. After saying her last goodbye to the landlord and his wife, she ran out to the truckers. They were nice enough to give her a ride to her new place.

They arrived at a much better part of London. It was a place closer to the city centre, as all as a place where the habitants were an educated middle class. For that moment that was all her 2500-pound paycheque could afford, not that really fancied a more fashionable place. She lived on the top floor of the building. She hit the button with a number 7 marked on it when she was inside the elevator. She wanted to inspect the flat before having men coming in with her furniture.

The elevator stopped on the seventh floor, and the mirrored slide doors opened. She stepped outside the lifting box. She reached into her pocket to get the key, which she had received a week ago, when she signed the contract of the flat. She opened her door; it was a thick, simply decorated door with the number 28 inlayed with

a black wood. She stepped inside a rectangular hall; it stretched toward her right, on her left was a tiny room where she had planed to place her washing machine. She took a few steps north and entered the living room, which was only separated from the hall by a wall about the height of her shoulders. To her right was a big spacey living room, almost twice as big as her old living room. To her left was the kitchen, separated from the living

room by a kind of a bar table. It looked a lot like a bachelor's apartment. She walked across the living room into what seemed to be a tiny corridor, to her left was the bathroom, and to her right, the bedroom. She walked back cross the living room again, but this time heading toward the other end of the room. She opened the French doors with led her to a balcony. She examined the view for the first time. Unlike her old balcony that displayed the bus station, this balcony opened up to a park with a splendid rose garden. She realised that this neighbourhood must have had at least a hundred years of existence. The only thing she really disfavoured what the wallpaper of the walls of brown flower, and peace sign designs from the sixties.

From her mobile she called the men to come up with her furniture. In about an hour's time they finally brought up the last piece of furniture up, the dining table. She decided to keep the chairs in the apartment, but for the table she led the men even one floor up, to the attics. She let them put the table in a little room

numbered 28. As they were going down again, the mobile rang.

"Tsukino, Serena," she answered.

"Oh hi, Serena," a lush voice talked through the other line, "I thought you might use some help over at your place..."

"Of course not, Darien," she dismissed coldly making the men in the elevator shiver, "I am certainly not a bimbo, so I can handle a little moving all by myself, and why do you think that moving companies exist? Besides, we've finished anyway, so you are of no use to me now!"

"Well," Darien breathed confused, what did he do now to make her so mad? "How about I come around and just make you company?"

"Huh?"

"I miss you, Serena, I don't care what we do, just wanna see you!" begged almost close to a cracking voice, you know, the one that you get when you're close to crying.

"Ok, lover-boy," Serena chuckled cheering Darien up, "How about your drop by in ten, and we go to pick new wallpapers, and then maybe, just maybe I'll go for a coffee with you!"

"Fine I'll be with you," Darien insured talking more to himself than to Serena.

"Hey, you need to know the directions first," She reminded him.

"Oh that's true," Darien said almost forgetting that she had moved.

Serena gave him her new address and dismissed then working men giving them enough money to get drink, for as far as she knew she had already paid their company. Then she went inside the flat, in one of her boxes she looked for a tape measure. Finding it, Serena went on reassuring the walls for the wallpaper.

Not much later the intercom telephone ringed. She ran to get it, she knew it was Darien. Seconds later she opened the door downstairs to let him in. Darien was up in no time, and in no time he was helping Serena with the measurements of the walls. Not long after they left to get the wallpapers.

Serena and Darien were walking around shelves of all types of wallpapers. Suddenly, Serena started to think about her friends. Green was Lita's favourite colour, the kitchen should be green. As she thought about it, she found a pale green wallpaper. 'Perfect!' she thought. Then she wondered of who would like the living room; she would be using it as a study as well as a place to socialise. She didn't know, so she moved on the hall, that

would be Mina's, because Mina was extremely kind and welcoming, plus she just loved to greet people. 'Yes, it should be yellow,' she concluded. She dragged Darien around the store in search yellow wallpaper. Finally, she found a sunny yellow paper. She didn't doubt a second that the bathroom had to be Raye's, she remembered in the early days when she had just met Raye, she would sit on the toilet seat of she old apartment for hours either

reading Vogue, or Cosmopolitan! Once again the dragged Darien around until she found a faded strawberry coloured paper.

"So red for the bathroom?" Darien mused raising one of his eyebrows, "I agree with you, it's a passionate colour! Speaking from experience, you'd be surprised by the amount of things two can do it the shower!"

"You're a pervert, Darien!" hissed Serena in disgust, "I wasn't even thinking about that!"

"Sorry," Darien said apologetically, "I was just kidding, besides it's a faded colour so it doesn't symbolise things like that."

"Even if it was an intense colour, it would only, and I mean only, symbolise Raye!" she blurt out.

"Please, don't get pissed at me, Serena," Darien half carolled.

She smiled. 'Ok, I'll forgive him this time!' her mind said still feeling disgust. 'Oh, I'm sure he just wanted to joke,' her heart responded. 'That leaves Amy to the living room,' her mind concluded ignoring the heart. This time Serena didn't have to walk a long way for right beside the red section was the blue section.

In no time she found a very light baby-blue wallpaper with sky coloured patterns of bars and dots arranged vertically. She decided that the laundry room would be white. Now only her room was left, she decided that she would wallpaper it with her favourite colour, pink. She chose a pale pink wallpaper with slightly darker roses randomly printed. For once she asked for Darien's opinion.

"I like it, it's a sweet colour," Darien replied.

"I know," Serena agreed and absent-mindedly she went on, "Pink is my favourite colour, it's the colour of romance."

"Yeah," Darien breathed smiling. There, one more surprise for Darien, how could he have believed that such a headstrong personality like Serena, actually like pink! Not that is was an ugly colour but it showed the gentler side of her.

After having bought the wallpapers, they headed out to a café. It was already seven o'clock in the evening, when the sat down at a table, but the sun was still shining at earth, low but still shining. The temperature, however, was slightly cooler than during the day. It was Thursday and Serena talked about putting the wallpapers up on the weekend with Hutaru, who had been sleeping over at the Chiba estate for some days. She would return on Friday and on Saturday, Serena and her would start to work with the papers. Darien offered to help, and was accepted.

Just then her mobile rang, it was Amy. She was wondering if Serena had moved yet, and her address. Having told Amy what she wanted to know, Serena started to tell her friend about the wallpapers and her plans. Amy also offered help in behalf of the whole group. That was accepted too.

Soon the two moved on into another conversation, which Darien wasn't paying much attention to. He was too busy watching Serena; a fanciful smile played his lips. He watched her gorgeous hair, if it's usual ponytail fall along her shoulders, down her back, to the ground. Then he was back up to her face again, where her sky blue eyes blinked from time to time. He watched her tiny almost pointy nose wrinkle as she made a grimace, and her sweet lips pout. Then he invaded her neck and shoulders, where only one piece of jewellery rested, and it was emerald necklace that he had given her! He was surprised, but didn't ask anything. Then his gaze moved downwards, fighting without success to see through her baggy shirts. His stare fell even more until it hit the brown wooded table. 'Oh, wonderful, wonderful Serena,' her though lovingly, 'I might never have you, but no one would ever love you so madly, so deeply, so truly as I love you...'

He started to analyse how it first started. No, it didn't start when he saw her perfect body, like his other girlfriends; in fact he had never seen was lay behind those slack clothes that she wore. It started when she angrily stared at him, apart from his grandmother and sister no one had ever been angry with him, not even when he has broken any girl's heart. From the first moment he loved her for her peculiarity and disinterest in him. He was challenging himself to turn her feelings towards him the opposite way. But as he got to know her better he got himself tangled into a much more boundless thing than he had expected. Soon he couldn't twist out that love that he was feeling. Even the word love was much too meaningless to describe how what he felt ran fervent through his blood making his heart ache with yearning and his brain race anxiety. No, he didn't need to kiss Serena all the time; all he needed to know was if she felt the same way too. But of course she wouldn't tell him, and the only way he could manifest his feelings was by touching her, for it was impossible for him to suddenly dive into her soul and be her...or let her be him, he wasn't sure which was the right way around, for him it was just the same.

Serena finished her conversation on the phone, and noticed Darien's expression. And she who thought she was the master of telling what facial expressions meant! She had never seen this one before, she decided to speak.

"What's wrong, Darien?" she whispered.

"I love you, Serena," he claimed for what seemed to be the thousandth time, "that's what's wrong! You're so difficult, that is agonising, too agonising! Oh, Serena if you ever marry, I beg you not marry anyone but me, for I wouldn't be able to live without you..."

"Hey, slow down, lover-boy," Serena recommended, "Don't you think you should wait with marriage proposals until we become an item? You don't want to scare me off do you?"

Just then he felt a sudden rush of anger enter him. An anger he had never felt before, Serena had really done it! There he was speaking the truest words he had to say, and as a reply he gets a joke? He was much too angry to even use violence and all he said (in the calmest voice) was, "Serena finish your coffee, and I'll drive you home."

She obeyed, for she had the feeling that she had dome something wrong, although she didn't quite know what it was. The drive to her new apartment was quiet; she didn't dare to break the irony silence that surrounded them. Darien was driving his precious red Ferrari as if it was the only thing he did since he was born. They reached Serena's building, he stopped. She went out of the car, and before banging the door closed she whispered an apologising good-bye. Darien didn't reply, and started to drive home. As he drove, his anger slowly faded, and he forgave Serena for the millionth time.

Serena woke up on the sofa on her new place. It was the last day of the week and boy, was she glad! After that weekend she'd be living like an educated person in London. She popped up and went to get her morning shower. Lazily, she got herself ready for work.

The watch showed five minutes until eight o'clock. She ran from the bus station to the CIB building. At precisely eight o'clock she opened the door to her secretary's office. Darien hadn't arrived yet, for the secretary didn't say that to her. She wondered if he was still what-ever-he-was at her. She also received an envelope from the secretary. It didn't look at all like a business envelope. It was white with decorated frames, it looked like one of those envelopes where one sends love letters in. Her name and address was written of it in a careful, beautiful hand-written form. Her heart pondered, could it be from Darien? She took the letter and entered her office.

Sitting down at her desk she opened the envelope with hand trembling. Inside the paper box was a white card, it wasn't from Darien, but a marriage invitation from Mina and Mario. Sighed in relief, she found another little note written with Mina's handwriting. She read the note too,

"Hi Serena, Sorry I didn't send it to your new address, but I wanted you to get the invitation as quickly as possible. Serena, you've been my best friend, and always supporting me, and therefore I would like you to be my maid of honour at the wedding. Mario is thinking of asking Darien Chiba to be his best man, by the way.

I'll see you, Mina K."

"What?" Serena exclaimed intimidated by the letter.

"Good morning to you, Serena," Darien called as the stepped into their office, "What are you so horrified at?"

"Horrified?" she repeated, "No, Dare, no! More like excited, can you believe it?"

"That you're excited?" Darien grinned raising his eyebrows, "Truly, that is a phenomenon!"

"No you idiot, let me finish," she demanded, "Like I was saying, I'm going to be Mina's bridesmaid!"

"Guess who's going to be the best man," he asked tried to tease her.

"Oh, I know," she dodged.

"And you're excited about that too?" he pushed.

Serena chose not to answer him. Instead she occupied herself with her work. One long four-hour period was in front of her. She didn't like being a lawyer anymore. There were two things missing in her life. She wasn't completely happy with being a lawyer, now that she'd been working for some weeks. She wanted freedom. She wanted to make up her own laws, instead of consulting a book of laws. She wanted to toy with different situations; instead she was dealing with them according to the law. She wanted to write her imagination; she didn't want to write reports against lawsuits or contracts for the CIB. Just then she realised one of the things she was missing, that always bothered her in the past week when she sat down at her desk. She didn't want to work as a lawyer, all she wanted was to write, write books.

She had dreamt of being a writer since she entered Junior High School. The thought of studying law subjects only entered her head when she was offered the scholarship. Then she thought that it would be an honourable job to defend someone from injustice, she had never thought that it was so strict, and so unsentimental. But writing books full time wasn't a good job to support oneself, unless you were a best selling author, which she doubted she would be. Now she would just have to wait, until her book was out to decide what she would do with her life.

She was glad get home when the day was over. Hutaru and Peter arrived after her, they had been watching a movie, and were analysing it strange ending. Serena didn't really pay any attention to them, but made her way to the telephone. She called for some pizzas. Later in the evening, the three ate their pizzas in the messy apartment. And later still, the three fell asleep in the same sofa.

The next morning Serena woke up at the sound of the intercom phone. She jumped over a stack of boxes, fell, and ran to get the phone.

"Yeah," she answered half asleep.

"'Morning," she heard, "It's Darien..."

"Wha...huh?" she asked confused still trying to wake her brain up, "What time is it?"

"Eight thirty, did I wake you up?" Darien chuckled.

"Yeah, ok get in," she said finally full awake, "I'll leave the door unlocked so you can get in, meanwhile I'll take my shower, ok?"

"Sure," he confirmed.

It wasn't long before the house was crowded with people, and Peter was shouting at the bathroom door, begging Hutaru to finish quickly. Lita had made the people breakfast; Serena was desperately trying to put up her hair, which would not obey her. While the others were trying to figure out which wallpaper was for the right room.

"Aargh!" Serena screamed staring at herself in the full-length mirror with a hair band in her hands. The house was a total chaos, and now she was having a bad air day... great, just great.

Darien was walking around the house inspecting the its rooms. He just happened to walk into Serena's room, while she expressed her frustration. "Aw, Serena," he comforted, "You don't want to destroy your lovely hair."

"It's not me that's trying to destroy it!" she hissed, "It's the stupid hair itself," she cried, and then turning to the mirror again she said to herself, "If you don't obey me now, I swear I'll cut you tomorrow!"

Darien was slightly alarmed by what she said, he knew she wouldn't be able to tie her hair in such an agitated mood, and he didn't want her to cut her hair...

"Serena, why don't I tie it for you," he suggested, "I bet you're too nervous to do it by yourself."

Serena just handed him the hair band. Darien started to tie her think silky hair; the final product wasn't as perfect as Serena normally did it, but good enough. Serena smiled at him still looking at the mirror. 'He sure knows how to tie long hairs,' she thought.

They finally were eating breakfast, and after that all helping each other doing the dishes. And at around eleven o'clock Serena had divided her friends into groups. Amy and Simon, the best problem solvers we assigned to work on the kitchen, the trickiest room in the house because of its many cupboards. Hutaru and Peter received the smallest room, the bathroom, it was also tricky around the toilet place, but she trusted that Hutaru would figure out something. She assigned Darien and Joakim to do the hall and laundry room. Then she ordered Raye and Mario to do her room. Now she was left with the most non-pragmatic people, Mina, Nick and Lita. They would to the living room, but she would be carefully watching them, not that she wouldn't be working herself but she would keep and extra eye of them.

Around two p.m. the walls were finished. They took a rest and ordered some more pizza for lunch, now all they had to do was to set the furniture around the flat. As the whole group hungrily attacked the pizzas the bell rang. She could tell that is wasn't a visitor, as she didn't know any of the neighbours yet, and if it was an outsider they would have called from the intercom first. She guessed it was the postman, for she had called the post office to announce her new address, as well as she had informed every single person and company of her new address. 'It should be new bills,' she though bored and annoyed that there were always bills to be paid.

She opened the door, yes it was the postman, but no, he didn't bring any bills with him. Instead he carried a package, and wanted her to sign and take it. Serena signed on a strange machine thing, and took the package. She looked at the package eagerly; it was from the U. S., from the Time Glass Editorial. Serena's face changed into a smile. She had received an email, a not long before that the book was out at libraries and stores all over the United States. She tore the package open to find a copy of her book, and a letter.

"What is it, Serena," Simon called noticing Serena's grin.

"My book!" she stammered too stunned to speak properly, "My book...it's here! It's here!"

Raye quickly walked over to her and snatched the book from her. She went back to the bar table where every one was crowding around to show it to them.

"Be careful, Raye," Amy requested, "You don't want to destroy the book with your oily hands, I'll take it!" after all she had been eating her pizza with a fork and knife. She seized the book from Raye. She placed the book in the middle of the table, for everyone to see it. The tittle was in big bold letters," American...or What? A Collection of Peculiar Fables", under the tittle was her name. Well, not exactly her name for she wrote incognito, but the name she wrote it under, S. T. Washington. And under her name was a picture of a girl sleeping in a bench with her suitcase on the floor, behind her was the Big Ben, and it was dusk. Amy turned the cover page, there was a tittle page, and she turned that page too. They came to the dedication page; "For the Ainos, the Kinos, the Mizunos, Raye, and Joakim." the people mentioned all started to thank her. Amy turned the page again, the contents page. She turned the page again, where the story began, "It was a winter morning when I decided that I should quit being a failing student and focus on raising my grades, which would be graded as Z- if such rating existed. I decided to do this, not because of my new-found joy in studying, but because I overheard my parents concern about me entering college..."

Amy then closed the book and showed then its back, a white background with a summary of the book black, "Sarita Fernandez decides that she wants raise her grades in order to get a scholarship for college by the end of high school. On the way to carry out her goal, she had to leave her popularity, friends, parties, and good-natured personality to be history, and she becomes the geek of the school. Even after crying herself to sleep she perseveres into reaching her goal. By the end of high school she surprisingly gets a scholarship for London... Enter into the world of a girl who decided go give herself a makeover mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally."

"I want to be the first to read it," Lita blurt out, chewing her pizza frenetically and then swallowing it.

"No way, Lita," stopped Mina, "I have to read it first, I saw her work on it for hours!"

"So what?" argued Raye, "I'll read it first because I was the one who actually brought it here to this table!"

"Then, I should be reading it first," Amy interfered, "For I showed it to you and I'm actually holding it at the moment."

"I'll be the last to read it," Joakim laughed, "I'm sure I'll be alive by then! Maybe it'll be better to just order from Amazon…"

"Calm down, guys," Serena advised, "How about you all take a vote, pick a number for 1 to 50."

They all picked their numbers, but Joakim wan as he was right on the number with Serena had picked; 39. Raye would be the second one to read it, even if she came last, for she lived with Joakim. Hutaru would be the next, followed by the Mizunos, Darien, Ainos, Kinos, and Peter. Serena then went on to read the letter they had sent her. It mainly said that since the book was released it had sold over a thousand copies in the whole United States. The books were selling at about 15 dollars without taxes, and that 35 percent of cost would go to the company. She was also happy to know that they had transferred what she had gained into her bank account. She had already enough money to pay her rent and bills for the rest of the year! Things were going well for her, and if this book became a best seller then she would think about quitting the CIB.

It was the beginning of August. Serena was helping Mina dressing for the wedding. Her friend looked absolutely stunning. Serena has seen the picture of Mina's dress before, as a drawing, it was incredibly beautiful, fit for a princess. Now, Mina stood in front of her wearing it. Her golden hair was all done up into a hairstyle that looked pretty much like a banana, and decorated with a white Lilly on the right side of her head. Her make up was professionally done; her soft features were traced by faint tones of lilacs, as for her lips they were like a rose's petals. She wore no jewellery, but the golden edges of the neckline of her gown provided her with a necklace. She held a bouquet of fresh pink and red roses. Mina was the princess in her dress, not even the drawing could match her in all it perfectness.

Serena remembered her task, after examining the bride for long, long minutes. She asked if everything was ready, and if the bride's father could come in to escort her to the little chapel in Mr. Aino's garden. Everything was ready; she stepped out of the room to notify Mina's father, Darien, and Mario. Mario, like most was nervous to the bottom of his hairs, he kept on asking questions, which Serena had already answered for Darien and Mina's father. They were outside the little chapel, she told the father to get his daughter, and as for Mario who had previously been greeting the arriving guests was ordered to go into the chapel. As he did so, the guests followed him, taking their seats on the benches.

Mr. Aino's estate should actually be classified under castle. The house and its grounds had existed since the twelve hundreds, during the feudalistic epoch. Knowing this, it wasn't astonishing to find ruins of a village around the extensive grounds, which were enclosed by a stone wall. Nor was it surprising to find a chapel in the garden. The land was originally an ownership of a knight; Mario's mother had been an illegitimate, but sole blood heir of the property.

At last Mina was arriving! The organ stated to play, all the guest stood up, and Mario turned about to face his beautiful wife to be. Serena searched for the alliances in her handbag, she was sure she had them inside, but they were nowhere to be found. She started to panic, but a hand reached over her eyes with the rings. Only then did she remember that she had given them to Darien, before going off to check on Mina earlier the same morning. She took one of the rings from Darien, as she heard him say that that it would have another purpose if they were made to fit into her delicate fingers. Serena chose to ignore Darien's foolish remark, and placed the ring on a tiny white velvet pillow. 'Rings: checked. Bridegroom: checked. Best man and bridesmaid: checked. Priest: checked. Guests...' Serena paused a moment to look around, the whole chapel was filled, if not crowded. Somewhere in the middle of the flock of people she found their best friends, who were not glancing towards the arriving bride and her father. 'Guests: checked! Bride and father: checked!' She sighed with satisfaction as the bride was handed to the bridegroom, and began walking toward the altar.

The priest began to mumble the infamous matrimonial speech. Serena stood by Mina's side and Darien by Mario's. The priest talked on and on, and Serena was doing her best not to fall asleep. She wondered why priests had to make such unbelievable long discourses. It seemed a hundred years before it was time to exchange alliances. Serena moved her hands, which were a bit stoned due to lack of movement over a long period of time, in the direction of Mina's. Her friend took the ring and slid around her husband's right ring finger. Not long after that, the couple was kissing like mad.

The organ stated to play again and the guests started to move outward to wait for the bride and groom to come out. Meanwhile the priest showed them a book, Serena was too sleepy to catch what kind of a book it was, but she did as she, Darien, and the Ainos were ordered to do. She signed her name and handed the calligraphy pen to Mina. The newly married couple finally stepped out of the chapel accompanied by their best man and maid. People were suddenly throwing rice from all directions mainly aiming at the bride and groom. But Serena and Darien were also drained in rise when the throwing finally ended.

It was time for the bride to throw her bouquet. All the unmarried women assembled by behind the chapel's lengthy steps. Serena and Raye were in one of the front rows, and the battle would begin. It wasn't that Serena actually believed in the myth behind the bouquet throwing (for if she did believe she would willingly absent herself from the crowd), but it was always nice to test her catching skills. Mina threw her flowers; it was heading towards them! Both Raye and Serena jumped to catch it, only Serena turned her gaze for a slight part of a second to Darien, and that was a vital slight part of a second, for right then Raye caught the bouquet of flowers. Later when the crowd had scattered Raye gave Serena a victorious smile.

Later, when the party had started in the gardens, Serena decided to go into the house and pay a visit to the ladies room. She had no idea Darien pursued her. She pushed the door, there she found a row of little toilet rooms, she opened one of them and locked herself there. Seconds later Darien was soundlessly leaning against the main door, listening to the sound of a stream of liquid hit the toilet water. Then there was a sound of tearing paper, rapidly proceeded by the sound of flushing. (AN: we've gotta have something embarrassing happening there!) Not long after, she walked out and found...

"This is the ladies room," she informed washing her hands.

"You must have drunk a lot, outside," Darien teased, ignoring her remark.

She wasn't embarrassed; she didn't see the point in satisfying Darien. Instead she nervously straightened her already straight sky blue satin bolero, which she had over a simple dress of the same colour. For once she found a reason why make-up was useful, for if at that moment she had some make-up with her, she could entertain herself from the awkwardness of her situation by applying some more of it on her face. But now it wasn't time to regret over "ifs". She turned to Darien and rawly said, "What do you want?"

"To talk," he answered quietly.

"We can do that outside," she pointed out, heading towards the door, which he was blocking.

"No, Serena, we can't," he explained, taking a grip on her and then swinging her around so that now she was blocking the door and he was leaning against it supported by one hand, "We can't talk outside, because you'll always find something to distract yourself from our conversation.

She couldn't argue with that.

"Serena, what's wrong with you? You've been acting strangely ever since I...You...We..." he didn't even bother to go on.

She couldn't argue with that either!

"Please give me a sign!" he hissed, "You're driving me crazy! Can't you see that? I thought you were in love with me, at least a little..."

She was! She was! But she didn't have the courage to say so. Hang on, was it that she didn't have courage or that she was too proud? She couldn't decide.

"One moment you want me to kiss you, and the second I feel like you're hating me," he continued, "What is this, Serena? Do you think it's funny to feel like an object, one that is used once in a while and then dumped into the closet again?"

Ah, now you have experienced what those girls you go out with, feel when you are done with them! But she didn't say that either, instead her eyes swelled up with tears, she was progressively fighting them back, sobbing. She never cried there was no reason she should do it now!

"Serena," Darien whispered in a loving tone, not that he didn't have a loving tone in his last lectures, but they were much louder, "I love you with all my heart, body, soul, mind, life...heck, I love you with everything I have! You don't need to doubt me! Trust me, Serena! Nick has already told me that he would personally screw up my life up if I ever leave you! I would have given up on you after he said that if I didn't really love you, but I want you even more! Please be mine..." he finally pleaded.

"Ok," agreed Serena with her usual strong voice, "but, I'm only giving you one chance. This chance! You flaw on this one and you're out of the game, get it?"

"Yea-" he started to pronounce, when Serena literally flew into his arms, giving him a sizzling kiss. Darien swept his arms around her a retrieved her kiss, and giving her all of him. He was now her possession, he who had never liked to think that he belonged to anyone, but now it was his favourite thought suddenly. But he didn't feel as if Serena belonged to him, he ignored the feeling.

They left the bathroom happily, and Darien had his arm around Serena possessively. She smiled at him, she examined him, he was actually very handsome, and not to mention that he was so sincere! Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to be his girlfriend after all. She actually liked the feeling of loving someone and being loved back.

"Where have you two been?" Mina questioned as they came back to the party, "You were supposed to dance with us on the second dance!"

"Sorting things out," Darien shrugged smiled kissing Serena's temple. She felt a shiver up her spine, and smiled at Mina. Mina's frowning face turned into a smile, Darien was actually butterfly kissing Serena all over her face and she was letting him do so! This was a miracle; she had to find the girls, but first Serena had a little explaining to do.

"What's there to explain?" Darien answered for her thankfully, "We love each other and that's all, not that complicated actually."

'Yeah, like you and Mario,' she mind continued, trying to explain her feeling, 'except much stronger than that! This went further than what you and Mario feel for each other, however. We are soul mates, but not really, for we aren't two souls that were destined to be together. We are like one soul in all, but one half of it is I and the other is Darien. It's like...' her mind tried to explain the feeling, 'Well, it goes beyond my capacity of understanding, but it's much more than ordinary love, or true love, or any kind on love. It's love plus something else...something big, something bounding...was there any word to describe with feeling?'

'Well if you, who are the brain, and obviously smarter than I am, don't know a word for this feeling, then don't expect me to know it,' replied the heart. 'But you're the one who actually is in charge oh these kind of things!' argued the mind. 'Well I lost practice, since you've been oppressing me all these years!' the heart excused herself. Ha, ha, there! Now the mind would feel guilty and not have an answer! I wan, I wan!

The party was very enjoyable. Everyone was having fun in some way of other, and Mina actually sang some love songs. She had a graceful voice, and Serena already knew. This was the chance for Mina's dreams to become reality! Serena had spotted a man who works with record companies at the party. This man was famous all over England and the United States. He was in charge of discovering new talent, and while Mina sang, she observed that the man was impressed. Serena had to do something; she had to get her best friend's dream come true some way or other! She had to talk to this man.

She waited following the man with her eyes, until Darien would let her free from her embrace. As soon as she was free she went to the table with the punch, where the man was standing by. She neared him and realised that she had seen him before, it was the man she had danced with in Mr. Chiba's birthday ball! Now that made conversation a little more easier...not! The man wasn't really a blonde, she just realised, he had silver highlights, probably from his age. But he still had those charming forest-green eyes and he was still so very lush! Serena grabbed a cup, purred so punch into it, and then looked at the man.

"I've seen you before, haven't I," She asked, blushing of embarrassment remembering the little incident at the ball, and neither Darien nor herself had ever apologised the poor man.

"So have I," the man answered amused, "You are the little (and in my opinion unlucky) girl who was so madly in love with young Mr. Chiba."

Serena smiled, "Not quite madly, since my brain continues to work full time! So are you a friend of the Ainos?"

"Not so much," she answered, "But we are business partners we met through Darien Chiba. And you?"

"I'm one of Mina's friends, she used to live next door to me," Serena explained, and continued stretching the truth a little because she did play the guitar, "I'm not much of a musical person, but I have to admit that Mina's voice beats a lot of new artist's voices. Don't you think?"

"Speaking from good experience she really has a fantastic voice," the man praised, "Does she ever train her voice?"

"Not that I know of," Serena chortled, "But I used to listen to her singing oldies from my apartment whenever she was cooking, her kitchen was right next to my bedroom, you know!"

"Serena! There you are," Darien came running to join them, once he had embraced Serena with his left arm he continued, "You're not going to leave me now that I have you, are you?"

'That was not the magic phrase,' her mind concluded. "Darien you are such a nasty person sometimes," Serena blurt out tearing herself from his embrace and turning her back to the man she'd been talking to, facing Darien, "You don't have me, Darien! You don't own me, get it! And if you want to own a woman travel to Afghanistan, or Bangladesh, or even better get back with Beryl. Were you thinking that I am throwing myself at every man I speak to? Who do you think I-"

"Hey," the man interrupted the argument, "You guys, what the point of fighting right now, when every one is having fun?"

The couple finished the argument immediately, and Serena added to Darien, "I'm not talking to you anymore."

"Hello, Diamond," Darien greeted, "So you've met my, er, well not very much my girlfriend right now since she's so pissed at me, but she certainly was a few minutes ago!"

"Hi, Darien," Diamond greeted back, "Yeah, she's really sweet! Beryl would be pleased to meet such a nice lady!"

Serena gave a sarcastic laugh, and Darien tried to explain, "That might not be a good idea...They've met already! Your sister was not so very pleased."

"Not so very pleased"? That's the very least!" Serena tried to talk seriously, "But she's got a very odd sense on what a classy girl is... Anyway, is she here? ...Just checking before she gives Mina bad luck!"

"She's not that bad, maybe she still hasn't gotten over Darien," Diamond smiled, "Speaking of Mina again, what does she do?"

"She's a nurse at some friend's clinic," Serena replied, glad to be back to her point, "But her dream was always to be become a singer. I always thought it was a juvenile dream, because she would never even audition for something! As far as I know a record dealer doesn't suddenly pop into someone's apartment to listen to them sing! But she does have the talent I think, maybe now she'll actually perform more...God knows! I bet Raye had threatened her to sing today!"

Darien could sense Diamond was interested in Mina, being a record dealer. And one didn't have to be musical to notice that her voice was good! Diamond was an exceptional businessman; he would not miss his chance to make big money! And now it had finally arrived!

But he had other worries, so he turned to Serena and said apologetically, "Serena please don't be mad at me... I swear I'm never gonna talk like that again, I didn't really mean what I said, I was just trying to be funny! Don't be mad at me, not after we've clarified things out, not after what we have got going together..."

"I said one chance, Darien, but I will let this one slip," Serena smiled, "One more of those and game is over!"

Darien kissed Serena gently, and turned to Diamond, "I really have to watch my tongue now! She's probably the best thing that has happened to me, Diamond. No offence to Beryl..."

"No offence taken," Diamond said, because sometimes his sister could be pretty annoying! But Darien was actually bending to this woman's will, interesting! "Since when do you talk like that?"

Serena was starting to get bored; she had made her point about Mina, and wanted to greet Michelle and Amara, and tell Peter that Hutaru would return from the States (she went to visit her parents) in a weeks time. She silently left her companies. But before she was out of hearing reach, she heard Darien say to Diamond, "I talk like that because I'm in love with her." She smiled at this and went on to greet Michelle, Amara, and Mr. Chiba. She found Peter talking to a few other teenagers, she told him was she had to tell. She went to Mina and her husband to talk to them. The table was crowded, for all her girl friends were there entertaining the bride and groom, she joined them, of course.

Time passed, the newly wed couple cut the cake, and soon they were off to Italy for their honeymoon. Darien didn't think there was much of a point to stay in the party when the couple was gone, and besides he wanted to be alone with Serena for the evening. He was tired of sharing her with every other guest, even if he didn't say so to her. He invited her for a drink at a pub; it was not an idea to go to a restaurant since they had been eating all afternoon, since the party started. She agreed, he could see that she was a bit tired of smiling, and laughing along with people on the way to being drunk.

They carefully sneaked out of the party and drove to the town's flashiest pub. There they sat on a two-person table, exchanging loving words. Darien ordered an Irish coffee and Serena a plain coffee (she didn't drink much, and had had enough with alcohol after a glass and a half of punch). Both of them were in plain heaven, together like that! There was no one that they felt obliged to greet, no servants coming around with food, no interruptions! Darien moved his chair beside Serena's. He hugged her and carefully moving his hand to her neck, he kissed her whole heartedlly. They remained lip-locked, until they ran out of breath. As if that wasn't enough, Darien continued to spread butterfly kisses all over her face, neck, and bare shoulders. And Serena carried on playing with his hair, and sometime butterfly kissing him. Finally, they were unwillingly broke apart when the waiter came to them with the bill.

Serena looked at her watch for the time, it was close to eleven o'clock, it had been three hours since they had been gone form the party. Her friends must be worrying by now. So she excused herself from Darien to the bathroom to make a call to the only one that had a mobile, Lita.

"Lita?" Serena began when the receiver on the other line was on, "It's me, Serena!"

"I know," Lita answered half drunk, "I saw you leave with Darien, don't worry, we'll have the juicy details tomorrow! Nick, wants me to dance this tango with him, see ya!"

Serena heard a click, on the other side on the line. She plopped her mobile back into her handbag and looked at herself in the mirror. One of the spaghetti straps of her dress was hanging lose on her arm. She still felt Darien's tender, moist lips on the place where her strap had been. It was not only the kisses that she felt, but also something that stirred deep down in her heart. She stroked her hand across her shoulders, she moaned at the shivers that were going up her back. That was the most wonderful feeling in the world! She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall revive the feeling... She was actually weak in the knees!

Minutes later, she recomposed herself, and walked out. Darien had told her that he would be waiting for her by the exit. She reached the exit with her eyes; she didn't have to look long. She had found him, all right! What she saw shocked her, she was almost going to collapse if a waiter hadn't reached to support her. Last time she klutzed out like that was nine years before, when she was still young and stupid. This time she did forgive herself, for having such a change in mood would probably cause a heart attack to anyone else. (AN: yes, yes u wanna know why, huh? Here comes, brace yourselves, even if it's not that surprising considering that Darien is a major playboy hint, hint)

Right across the room, by the exit, was Darien. Well, not only Darien alone. No, no, for on top of him was a brunette, with her legs crossed around his back. Darien was facing her back to her, and she couldn't really see what he was doing with her. She didn't see what he was doing with her, she didn't want to see it; she didn't want her heart to break even more. The waiter understood what was happening to her, for he was the same waiter that had been serving them all night! Quickly enough, she possessed herself again.

"Thank you," she said to the waiter, softly. She wasn't on the line of crying, she never cried, and she wouldn't let a bastard like him make her cry!

"For nothing," the waiter smiled. He opened his mouth to say something else, but decided not to, closing his mouth again.

Serena put her bolero on and calmly and walked over to the doors. She came to about a meter distance from Darien and the woman. Right now he was trying to shrug her off...probably because he had seen her coming. She walked over to them, now they her both standing, thank God!

"I said I would only give you one chance, Darien," she reminded in am aloof voice, "You tried to play with me. To push your luck. Game is over now!"

Right then she started into a run, outside the doors of the pub. She heard Darien shouting that "it wasn't what she though it was" and that "he should have a chance to explain". As far as she knew she had perfect vision, she wasn't drunk, so the saw the real thing. And since the saw the real thing, what was there to explain? Luckily, just outside the pub, was a line of cabs parked. She quickly entered one and told him to driven off. He obeyed her, while she turned around looked back at Darien who was running behind the taxi. Noticing that he couldn't beat the machine, he went on his knees, pressed his hands against his face. Now did he think that she would forgive him because he made such a show? No, no, no!

Once they were safely off, she told the taxi driver her address. The ride seemed long, and drastic. She wasn't sure she would be able to walk up into her apartment, as she felt so weak physically, and emotionally.


	8. Chapter 8: Bits and Pieces

Chapter 8: ...Bits and Pieces...

The taxi neared her home, and Serena was preparing her money. During the whole ride her mind was blank. She just couldn't think, she was momentarily paralysed mentally. She sat on the back seat of the car very upright, as the car drove by traffic lights flashed by in the black of night. She lost track of time, so when the taxi pulled up by the lobby of her building she did not know whether the ride was long or short, or did she care. She mechanically handed the driver his payment was closed the door behind her. Not waiting for the change she instantly headed toward the doors, dialled her secret code, and pushed the doors walking in. Robotically, she went up the elevator, and then into her apartment. There she closed the door behind her and walked to her room, where she undressed, and put on her pyjamas. The intercom rang; Serena carelessly walked to get it. She did not speak, she couldn't...

"Serena, are you there?" she heard Darien's voice calling, "Listen to me: What you saw was a mistake. I swear to God that it was not on purpose. Please let me in and I'll explain everything to you...Serena? Talk to me for heaven's sake!"

She was fed up of hearing his voice; she realised when her senses returned to her. She was angry, sad, and confused. How could she just listen to him tell another of his lies? Lowering her head, she hung up the phone. Thereafter she plopped of one of the huge puffy pillows for comfort. Sinking down into the feathers she reached for the TV remote control and turned the TV on. She watched it without paying attention to it. And slowly she wasn't aware of herself again.

She woke up to the irritating noise of the telephone. The sun was suddenly shining; she hadn't realised that she had been sleeping this whole time. Then like a lightning bolt, the remembrance of the past night nagged her head. She let the phone ring and ring, as she didn't want to have contact with anyone whatsoever. Once the fixed phone had stopped ringing, it wasn't long before the mobile began to make a muffled noise from her backpack. There again, she did not answer. The TV was still on; Serena closed it, and leaned back down her pillow. The pillow was the only comfort that she wanted in the life at the moment. For the rest of the day and most part of the next day she lay with her mind blank. Her phones ran in and out, she didn't answer. The answering machine tape was full, and would not take more messages. But she just lay there.

Finally, she forced herself to revive. First sign of life in her was when she started to think about and analyse what exactly had happened to her. She couldn't understand how Darien could have been so scruple-less? It didn't make sense to her why Darien would flirt with another woman, when he knew that she would be out very, very soon. But then again maybe he did it in purpose. 'All his words...they sounded so sincere, so true and earnest. Why didn't I see through them? Why didn't I realise that I was just a challenge for him...Just an accessory to go along with his image...And then when he found something more beautiful he would drop me and wear the new one out. Yet, I can't figure out why he had waited all this time to break it all up in a matter of hours. Or maybe he didn't wait all this time to be with me...maybe he just let everyone believe that he had changed, and in fact he secretly still went out with his girls. Maybe that was true, how could I trust him? When Mr. Diamond warned me, I should have listened; he probably knew what Darien was doing behind everyone else's back. How could I have been such a fool?'

'Honey,' spoke out her heart, 'It's better to have loved and lost it, than to never have loved at all...'

'She didn't lose it, you idiot, she wisely let it go! But anyway, it's okay to be heartbroken sometimes...it helps the balance in your life. There is also the privilege that you may be able to learn from your mistakes. This is partly my fault; for all these years I never let you feel sadness...it had to come sooner of later!' he mind logically stated.

'That's not the way to comfort a heartbroken girl...'

'Well, you shouldn't be talking...you started the whole thing in the first place! I'll never ever let you be in charge again!'

'But I didn't know-'

'I knew, for heaven's sake, but you were stubborn. You inexperienced fool!'

'People are allowed to make mistakes, and you stated previously so I just contributed into some balance in your life'

'Idiot,' her mind slipped, 'both you and I are idiots.'

She came to a conclusion that Darien had fouled her, and that there was no point in still going for him. She would make herself forget him. And she would succeed...as usual. With that she stood up, persuaded her quivering feelings, and decided to take a shower. She made herself a breakfast which she hardly ate, but still she made no attempt in communicating with the outside world.

Presently she was thinking of what she would do when she was ready to step outside...She would go to work as usual. But it hit her that she could not return to the CIB after Darien had done to her. Well, one of her confusions were solved! Now she needn't to decide if she should continue to work as a lawyer or if she should become a full time author. So now all she had to do was to write a resignation letter to Mr. Chiba, and to wait and hope that her book made big time money. In the meantime she had to continue with its sequel, but decided not to think about it yet.

It took five days before she strolled out of her apartment, into the world. As she was out she could see such beauty of the rose garden, and the sky was blue, people were happy. She did not, however, she the meaning of the existence of such beauty. Firstly, she went to the CIB buildings; she handed the resignation letter to the secretary in the bottom floor for she dared not to find out who was upstairs. Then she walked to the Silver Millennium.

Lita practically jumped on her, and to see that that Serena was all right. "Oh Serena, I was so worried that something happened to you! We called you and called you but you never answered. Then we called Darien's office and they said that he hadn't been at work either. I thought you both ran away or something, and today we were planning to actually report you for missing people-"

"What happened, Serena?" Nick impatiently interrupted noticing that something was wrong. Serena did not look like her old self; everything in her was faded. There wasn't a glow in her sky blue eyes anymore, in fact they weren't blue anymore, they were blending into a greyish colour. Her lush blond hair was no more; instead she wore a ponytail of dirty blond hair. Her features were no longer bright, happy, and always teasingly laughing. She looked melancholic, dreary, and nonchalant. Otherwise, she looked perfectly normal as her ponytail what perfectly done, almost too perfectly done. Her clothes were carefully chosen, she was ideally presentable.

"Nothing that I know of," she said indifferently.

"That's not true," Lita replied. "Please tell us, it's not like we will kill you, or anything. We want to help you."

"Oh it was him, wasn't it?" Nick understood. "You don't have to tell us, we can guess. I warned him about this...the bastard!"

"Oh no, Nick," Serena replied a bit alarmed, "it wasn't really him." Then she lied on, "Actually it was my fault, don't do anything to him, I broke away. I just regret it that's all! It will be over soon."

Neither of them believed her, but they played along with her excuse. Nick's hopes of giving Darien a punch or two faded like Serena's self. She had not allowed him to execute his promise and he would not disobey her. But he still found it amazing that so much beauty of his friend and disappeared in a matter of days...just because of him, whatever he had done.

Days passed into weeks and weeks turned into almost a month. Hutaru was back and still as much in love with Peter, and he was in love with her. Serena was truly happy for her niece, but all she could manage to show was a dim smile. Soon Mina and Mario had returned from their honeymoon. The whole group of friends had an assembly at their new house for the juicy details of the trip. Everyone was happy, laughing...all except Serena who only gave a cloudy smile through the whole evening.

Another month went by; lively it would have seemed, as another couple was getting married. She would have shown so much emotion when she heard that such an unbelievable match as Raye and Joachim were getting married. But no, despite herself she only gave them a word the happiness that she was feeling for them, along with an indistinct smile. All the marriage arrangements were done in a matter of two weeks; they would not have a huge party as they thought it unimportant. And because Raye fell asleep halfway through the priest's speech at Mina's wedding, they decided that they should take the quicker way of things. They should marry in a civil way, not by church. They decided that Mina and Mario should be their best man and bridesmaid. The wedding was simple but beautiful, yet Serena could not truly appreciate its charm, despite of how much she tried.

It was one beautiful September afternoon when Serena soundlessly unlocked the door to her apartment to find Hutaru and Peter engaged in an interesting talk.

"Do you know what happened between Serena and your uncle?"

"I don't know!" Peter exclaimed, but noticed Hutaru's face showing disbelief. "Really," he insisted and continued on explaining, "He was all miserable for a week or so. And never spoke to anyone unless it was necessary to get an answer from him. Then Serena gives us a resignation letter, and a day after that he is gone. We haven't heard anything directly from him yet. But Mr. Diamond has seen him a week ago, so he's alright I guess."

"Oh this is so sad!" Hutaru cried hugging her boyfriend, "Have you seen how Serena has changed?"

"Yes, so looks so old!" Peter noticed, "At least ten years older."

She heard this but, somehow she didn't care. She didn't care almost about anything anymore. Of course she still cared about her friends and people close to her, but not about herself anymore. And presently she didn't even eat unless she was forced to.

September turned to a cooler, more autumn-like as the month of October. Something exciting happened, but she took it very nonchalantly. Her friends truly understood, so they still got along with her. At this moment they were in the process of getting used to her present self, they had accepted the fact that she had, indeed, changed. Mina finally received a letter from Diamond Record Company. She had got a record deal, and they would have a meeting discussing the contract.

Happily she skipped to Serena, looking for a lawyer. Serena accepted Mina's offer and therefore had to attend the meeting with Mina. After all was confirmed Mr. Diamond and Serena had time for a little chat.

"Miss Tsukino," he said, "You look as if you've been worn! You look very different from the last time I saw you! It's not normal for people to change so much in a matter of what, four months."

"Well, as you see, it can happen," she replied indifferently, "And as you see, I am in a perfectly good state."

"I have to admit that you're not the only one that goes around looking so miserable," he informed as a matter of factly. "I've seen Darien, only four days ago, and he seemed very disconnected from the world. Yes, he was shaven, and looked presentable, but his mind was not with him. It took him five minutes recognise me, can you believe it!"

"I don't see the connection of your tale to me," she commented. This was probably because she did not get the meaning of his words, because the words seemed to flow in from one ear and out from the other as her mind was dwelling in the River Styx.

"Oh you don't have to pretend, Serena," Diamond declared, "He told me that something happened between you two. He said that he did something wrong. But that it was all misunderstanding; 'one of those things that the more you try to explain the more tangled it gets', he said. He said that no matter how much he tried he could get a hold of you. You still don't answer his calls and no matter where he goes he can't find you. Since you're both suffering because of this, maybe you should try to listen to him once."

"He has nothing more to say, Diamond, and I was not mistaken of what I saw. I gave him one chance to make a fool of me, but I won't give him another," Serena told. Without another word she walked out of the room. Mina's contract was signed; she had a record deal for four records. Now her job was done and she had nothing to stay there for.

By this time it would be questionable how Serena got by without a job, but there was a simple answer: her book. In such a few months time it has sold over ten thousand copies and now the editorial was planning to sell in Europe. At the moment money wasn't a problem; she had enough money to live greatly for approximately two years. Still she had to continue with her book, for she had planned two more sequels for it as she experienced new parts of life. So now she had something fresh to write about and she must start. It was then when she decided to sit at the desk again and start typing her experiences of the last few months.

She started with the end of the last book, the very last sentence of the last chapter she wrote: "And there they sat, she, the author of the book, sitting on his, the editor's laps. Total harmony eluded them and Sarita was actually reaching for Andrew for a kiss."

After having typed this she thought for a moment. She had to break this before Sarita kissed Andrew, and the most perfect way would be to have the hero of this book walk in on them. That was decided, and she went on: "Andrew approached his lips towards Sarita too, and the magic was about to begin. But in one split second the magic dissolved, for a man with pitch black hair, and the most drowning blue eyes imperiously entered the room. Sarita was shocked, and Andrew even more so for in a fraction of a second he managed to push poor Sarita off him so that she helplessly landed on the floor."

The Serena paused again. In this sequel she wanted Andrew to become the jerk, in contrast to the hero he was in the last book. Sarita had to be torn between Andrew and-what would he be called? - Daniel. Half way through the book Sarita had to find out about all Andrew-what ever he would do-and three quarters through she had to be in love with Daniel. So that by the end of it Daniel would turn out to also be a jerk and she would end up alone. Having planned so far, she opened a new document of her computer and started to make an outline. She already knew the books title: "American... or What? A Love Story".

For a couple of weeks she sat from nine to five writing her book. She found it unusually quick to write this book, especially after Andrew was discovered. Now the was a the part where Daniel, a man that Sarita has had little contact with and since their first meeting had disliked, was acting in love with her. And as she wrote on she described how slowly Sarita's feelings changed towards Daniel, and slowly she became deeper...

As she wrote, she felt tears coming to her eyes. She never cried, but now she would allow her eyes to fail her. Trying hard to fight them, she finally felt a tear flow down her right cheek. She stopped typing and simply stared at space with her chin resting on her right hand. As time passed, even if they were just seconds, she felt a flood of tears evade her. She did not fight them, instead she welcomed them. And as if she had been anticipating their arrival she let her head to her newly crossed arm, letting the salty water pour out of her. She was crying in. Wasn't it funny? It took a man, one single man. The man that had caused her to feel blissful beyond limits, was, oh, so capable of making her feel dispirited thence infinity. Yet, she could not get over him; she still loved him just she did when she was in heaven... if not more.

She sat there for hours crying, until there were no more tears to cry. Her head ached and her nose was stuffed. She felt hot, and decided to refresh herself outside in the balcony with the early November air. She stood there for a long time leaning against the iron reel before the noticed light flock of snow falling upon her, the ground, and the lovely garden beyond her balcony. Then she still stood there for hours admiring the snow falling nonchalantly. It was almost dark when she discovered that she was freezing so much that her fingers where turning a light shade of blue. She went inside to her room and took a long nap.

Since dawn had he been staring out the huge window of this apartment. He had been thinking of her, thinking of possible ways to get her back. He had cried, it's true he was a man, but he had cried himself to sleep so many times. And since she had run off like that in the pub he didn't seem to care anymore. He was more than "in love" with her and slowly this feeling of pointlessness was eating him from inside. All that kept him alive so long was the doubt: whether she still loved him or not. All this time he had been planning a way to get to see her again, but nothing seemed to work. So this very morning he was staring out, looking at the snow which had fallen on the previous day.

As an early man to work walked out of the building it hit him. Something so obvious, so simple! He could not understand how he hadn't thought of that before. Quickly her grabbed his keys and jacket, and raced down to his car. Once inside the vehicle he hastily started and dashed through the city to get his one and only Serena... Reaching her building he went and sat by the front doors and waited. He waited and waited for almost two hours before someone came in or went out of the building. Finally, an old lady appeared with the opening of the elevator doors inside. She proceeded in walking towards the doors through which Darien wanted to go in. She finally opened it and walked out; Darien however held it open for a while until she had totally walked out and went in himself.

Once inside he took the elevator up to Serena's floor. Upon reaching her door in pressed the doorbell. Nobody came to answer. She couldn't possibly know that it was he. He sighed and rang again, and again, and again. Until he heard a muffled cry of agony. There was something wrong inside the apartment; impulsively he turned the old fashioned door's knob. Amazingly, the door was unlocked. As he went in the house was in total silence, the suddenly he hear Serena give another painful cry. He rushed to her room, and found her laying of the bed looking a thousand times more miserable than him, curled into a little ball. The smell of vomit flew up his nostrils, and his eyes suddenly landed on a poodle of vomit of the floor just beside her bed. Her face was whiter than the sheet she lay in, and her pale hair was tangled all around her body. He could feel that she was terribly sick.

"Serena," she said alarmingly walking to her, "What happened?"

After hearing this, she noticed that Darien was there with her, she felt happy, but in a split second the memory of That Night entered her mind. "Is your brain so incapable of reasoning with common sense that it doesn't understand the fact that I never answer your calls means that I don't want to have anything to do with you again?" she spat weakly.

"Look, I would have committed suicide if I haven't resolved to see you today," he explained. "Not only that, but you are in no conditions to let your pride rule over you. Don't you understand how sick you are?"

"I am not sick-" she said as she suddenly leaned over her bad and vomited. Darien said nothing, but he sat on the edge of her bed close to her feet. "I just want you to get out of my house, don't bother me again life was perfect before you came in," she lied.

"Okay," Darien sighed, "Let me see you and help you just this once, when I hear that you're well in the hospital then I will leave your alone for as long as you live. Just this once, Serena..."

Serena gave a tormenting cry again. Darien pulled her to him and embraced her lovingly. She willingly leaned on him, crying. As Darien passed his hand across her forehead meaning to caress her, he felt that her body temperature was unusually high. She had a high fever.

"Where does it hurt you, my dear?" he asked gently.

"My stomach," she whispered like a child.

Darien wasted no time in deciding that whatever illness Serena had was very severe. He carefully laid her back on the bed and hurried to her phone. He pressed the ambulance number, and soon a lady like voice answered him. She hurriedly asked for the symptoms and address. Darien answered just as hurried. Ten minutes hadn't passed when Darien found himself inside an ambulance with Serena lying on a bed-like-thing beside him. The ambulance was on its way to the hospital at the speed of light. The sirens were crying outside the vehicle, and inside Darien was crying for his unconscious Serena.

They reached the hospital in no time, but to Darien, it seemed like forever. As soon as the car had parked, people came from everywhere to take his Serena. Soon she was rolling along the hospital hallways, and Darien was running along right beside her. They led her towards an emergency room, and at a certain point, the doctors told him that he wasn't allowed to come into the room. He had no clue of what was going on, they were taking Serena away from him! A nurse had to get a grip of him to stop him from running further on.

The nurse led him into a reception, where she explained that Serena has a severe case of appendicitis and was to be immediately operated. She then took the "patient's" name. Darien then arranged that when the operation was done, she would have her own private room. After that he had no more business to handle and all he could do was to wait for news. Doctors came in and out of the operation room, Darien worriedly asked them all kind of questions on Serena state, but none of them answered him. He passed the hallway up and down, until he finally sunk in a chair with his elbows on his legs, and his forehead pressed upon his hands.

Serena finally opened her eyes, she felt like she had been sleeping for days. She looked around to find herself lying in a hospital room. There were tubes on her nose, and her right hand. Finally, a nurse came into her room with a friendly smile.

"Good evening, Miss Tsukino," she said friendly.

"Is it evening already?" Serena asked surprised.

"Yes," the nurse answered, "There is a man outside who, I think, would be glad to see you."

"I don't want to see him," Serena answered coolly.

"But why?" the brown haired nurse questioned in surprise. "He has been here worrying all day long!"

"He cheated on me..." Serena answered.

"Oh, you shouldn't be so stiff!" the nurse cried, "It could have been just a misunderstanding.

"I remember that I screwed up the life a couple a few months ago. It wasn't on purpose but it was at a pub. I had a meeting with my boyfriend who had just come back from a volunteer mission in Gambia. I saw his pitch-black hair standing out by the exit and shamelessly jumped on him and kissed him like mad! Well, only to realize to my embarrassment that it wasn't my boyfriend standing there, but another man. But it was too late because his girlfriend had seen it all and ran away to a get a cab. Oh I felt so guilty!" the nurse ended her tale feeling miserable.

Serena's face, however, lit up! All these months she had been faded and sad, but in a matter of seconds, she was young and bright again! She quickly sat up, and begged the nurse, "Oh, I was so, so wrong! I please get him here! How simple everything was...why didn't I just stop to listen to him?"

"You mean you are...I...him...you-" the nurse choked.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Serena said enthusiastically with a big smile of her face.

"Oh, ok, I'll go and get him-have to hurry," she stammered as she ran out of the room to get Darien.

Serena impatiently sat of her bed waiting for Darien to arrive. It wasn't long before he came in. Then Serena stammered that she was sorry, and she didn't know, and attempted to explain what she had just heard.

"I know, I know, Serena!" Darien exclaimed happily. "The nurse told me. Serena you should lay down! Please lie down, I'm not going to run away, you know!"

She lay down, as Darien kneeled beside her bed. He held her left hand pressed between his, he held it against his forehead as if he was praying.

"Oh God, I thought I had lost you!"

"I thought I'd lost you!"

"There is no one but you in my life, Serena, trust me."

"I'm all yours. I love you, Darien, more than anything on Earth."

Darien noticed one single piece on jewellery around her neck. It was the emerald necklace that he had given her. He touched it, and then kissed the stone. Serena gave him a quizzical smile.

"It was my grandmother's," he explained, "She gave it to me before she died. She told me that it was for the woman that I truly loved, and that I should make sure it doesn't happen like it happened with my dad."

"What happened to your dad?"

"It's a long story..."

"Tell me, I've got all the time in the world."

"Well, he married my mother. She was a supermodel. My grandparents never approved my mother, my parents married anyway. But they weren't happy for long, and I can still remember how they used to fight when I was little. When I was six my mother left us. She ran away with a rock-star, and I never saw her again...she was very beautiful, my mother. Sometimes you remind me of her, Serena, the careless ways she had, and the flashing blue eyes, she was very beautiful.

"Anyway, as I said, she ran away and left my dad alone to take care of both Michelle and I. But he didn't know how to do it, he was a business man, and didn't have a clue on how to be a father so suddenly. So, we used to practically live with my grandparents. Soon Dad also noticed that he could embrace the Dolce Vita, so he too ran away. That happened when I was about eight.

"Since then I always got annoyed at all the movies where couples seemed so perfect for each other, because my parents weren't like in the movies," Darien told, more remembering than explaining. Serena just listened on; she guessed that Darien wasn't really aware of her anymore. "As long as I can remember my parents always fought, and sometimes my mom you throw her high heels at dad and he would bang the doors and lock himself in the office for hours. But life was much calmer when we moved with my grandparents.

"By the time I was in eighth grade, I discovered that all the girls liked me and that I could pick and chose from any of them, but my first crush was on a girl named Ann. We were an item, but we never did get along very well. I personally though it was normal, I mean my parents never really got along too. I was so angry when I saw her at a school dance kissing my best friend. I was so angry that we engaged in a fight and I never again talked to either of them. I figured that girls weren't worth trusting, very soon, they would just run way with someone else like my mom and Ann.

"When I was sixteen, my mother died of an overdose of cocaine. The rock-star she ran away with didn't even appear at the funeral. My father came, but I was so angry when he appeared with an exotic chick dressed in a dress with all kinds of colours. Poor butterfly, I wonder if anyone ever respected her.

"My father also died, in St. Tropez, in a car accident. The woman that was with him in the car lived, in fact she was almost uninjured. I remember how much she cried over his grave and kept saying 'I love you' over and over in Spanish."

Darien fell into a silence for a while. Serena carefully sat up again and embraced her Darien. She kissed his eyes and lips, and said, "I'm sorry, Darien, I'm so sorry! I'll never leave you...never ever."

"I love you," he whispered in her ear, "Now you have to rest, Serena. You've just had an operation."

"I had an operation?" Serena repeated surprised. "Of what?"

"Appendicitis. Didn't the nurse tell you?"

"No, I guess she was too excited to get you here to tell!"

"Well, now you know," Darien smiled and lowered her into her bed and watched her sleep.

He stayed there until she woke up again. He had been thinking about them the whole time and he had made up his mind. As soon as she woke up he went on to speak.

"Marry me, Serena."

"What?" was her response, she was obviously shocked. "Oh no, Darien! I can't."

"Why?" he asked getting alarmed.

"Because-" she stopped abruptly thing of a reason. She found none, "I don't know... I never thought of it, I guess."

"I swear to God I will love you forever, I will never cheat on you, I'll never lie to you, and I will always trust you."

"All right, all right," Serena grinned, "I'll marry you."

Darien couldn't hold his happiness anymore; he fiercely embraced his fiancée, and kissed her passionately. Then, he ran to the coin phones of the hospital to announce Mario of his engagement.


	9. Chapter 9: Happily Ever After?

Chapter 8: ...Happily Ever After...?

Darien and Serena sat by the bar table at Serena's apartment. The wedding was planed, she dress was being made, her parents were in London, and everything was figured out... except the honeymoon. Only one question now remained; where should they go?

"Where do you want to go for our honeymoon, Sere?" Darien brought it up for discussion.

"Where do you want to go?"

"What kind of answer is that?" Darien asked surprised, and a bit annoyed. He recognised that sort of talking: Serena's sardonic ways. He hoped that behaviour would soon disappear after they married. But Darien went on; "I don't know where I want to go...which was probably the reason I asked you first!"

"Well," she answered pensively, pausing a moment, "If neither of us have any strong desire to go to a special place for the honeymoon, why go at all? We can stay here, and you can catch up with some work-"

"Are you crazy?" Darien said impulsively, beginning to be more annoyed at Serena. "I'll tell you why I want to escape for a few weeks: I want to get away from all the troubles. I want to get away from my family, I want to get away from your family, from my friends, your friends...I want to be from everything, ESPECIALLY work. Serena, I just want to be with you."

"But you are going to be with me, isn't it why we're getting married?"

"For God's sake, Serena, why are you always so difficult?"

"Well, I'm not trying to be, but I don't get the point of going to a honeymoon, when we both don't know where to go...but yea, it would be nice to get away in a vacation for a while- what do you say about we go to Cambodia?"

Surprise, surprise... "What?" Darien practically shouted...and then continued with a calmer tone: "What makes you want to go there?"

"It's a cool place; I have read about an ancient culture that developed there, there are ruins of some kind of temple, and things like that. It will be a really cool adventure!"

"I've been hypothesising this for months, but now I've proved it: you're nuts!" Darien declared, standing up and then pacing the living room. "I'm not sure if you're aware of this but Cambodia is a dangerous place...it's of the centres of drug traffic, and there are conflicts all over! No, Serena, if you're planning to go there, I'm not coming with you."

"I thought the couple is supposed to go together to a honeymoon..."

"I thought so too."

"Well then, what do you say about Peru? Also a great place! There are all sorts of things from the Inca time- And then we could take a trip to Mexico and see the Aztec temples-of course we will skip Columbia..." Serena saw Darien's look, he didn't like the plan at all. She put on a pleading look...his face changed.

"All right," he said finally, "we'll go to Peru."

Serena jumped from her chair and went flying onto her fiancé, giving him an ardent kiss. "Oh, I think I love you endlessly!"

"I love you too," he whispered forgetting his dislike of the honeymoon plan. Serena had a way with him, so that when he thought back on the scheme he started to actually like the idea of going to Peru.

It was a slightly rainy day went she entered the chapel with her right foot at the sound of the organ, and there was her Darien prepared to swear in front of God that he'll for eternity be truly hers. She continued to walk confidently up the isle, with her father's arm at her left. She saw her friends sitting on the chapel's benches, Mina and Raye were with tears in their eyes, and Lita was shredding tears already. But who would have thought that Miss Tough Guy would marry so young? She was only twenty-four! The tears that her friends shred were by no means disappointed tears, no, the salty drops originated from happiness for Serena, and the surprise that she hadn't backed out at the last minute. Raye, however, would not be surprised at all if when the priest asked whether Serena would have Darien as a husband she would say no. This was because she still remembered crystal clear was he memory of a day, four years before, when her friend uttered that she would not even think about marriage before she was at least thirty years old. But Serena did not disappoint her friends, when asked the question above; she expressed with a crystalline voice "I do." And the whole business was solved, Darien was hers for the rest of eternity, and she was his. Thereafter the couple occupied themselves with a longstanding, passionate kiss. One that could only be felt by two people for completely fully and wholly loved each other no matter what.

Later, after having blessed themselves with a long emotional kiss, they were welcomed outside by an intense rainbow, and a timid sun. They started down the chapel's stair when it started to rain again...rice rain...Behind them their best maid and man, Amy and Simon, were also being rained on. Soon after the couple held a small party for the closest family and friends; both Serena and Darien objected having a grand wedding. They preferred it to be private, to keep the media from judging it from any negative point of view. The following day the couple was off to Peru.

"Oh, what a wonderful day this was! Don't you think so?" Serena exclaimed stepping out of the shower of their hotel room. They were now in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Earlier in the day, they have been on an excursion to an Aztec temple. Serena was having the time of her life; so far, they had been trough loads of adventures. They had been lost in the jungle, climbed the Andes Mountains, slept in a salt hotel, danced La Cucaracha with professional Mexican dancers, fixed a car that broke down in the middle of nowhere, and there was still more to come. Darien, however, did not see their trip in Serena's light; to be precise he was not having the time of his life. All that he had done was taking tiring hikes, pretended to admire old stone buildings, and forcedly he had been polite to the guides, who he just wished would disappear so that he could be alone with his wife.

"...You don't think so," Serena concluded observing Darien's silence at her previous question.

"Honestly," Darien confessed, "I don't think so. This whole trip sucked! You sure have a strange idea of a honeymoon! For Heaven's sake, Serena, all that we have done was walk, look at ugly buildings, and following a guide!"

Serena was pained, on one side because he was neglecting her interests, and on the other hand, she was displeased with herself on the fact that Darien was not enjoying himself. But most of all she was angry, and she could not control it.

"Is that your idea of our trip? Have you any sense of culture? And then you say that we

Americans are ignorant!" she blurt out.

"No, no, it not that-"

"Oh, no, it never that!" Serena pointed out, and continued, "You said that you wanted to go on a honeymoon trip, I didn't! But you didn't care where you wanted to go you never told me that you had any preferences. You left it up to me to decide, so I did, and now you don't agree with my choice? What kind of behaviour is that?"

"I'll tell you what kind of behaviour that is," Darien also raised his voice. "You seem to be more in love with the fckng buildings and the sshl of the guide than with me! I haven't been with you all these two weeks that we have been travelling, and that is because you're either paying attention to the buildings and the guide, or because you're just too tired when we get back to the hotel. Fck you, Serena, is that your idea of being romantic?"

"You've got it all wrong! I think you should have your eyes checked if you can't see me with you! I'm always by your side, wherever we go, always hold your hand. Now I you don't allow me to stop thinking about you for two or three minutes every quarter of an hour to actually listen to the poor guide? That is too much! You are a selfish, spoiled brat, do you know that? I'd be glad it you'd stop being an a!"

With that, Serena walked from the balcony where they had been standing, and plopped into their bed pulling the covers over her. She was angry, she was hurt, and she was repentant. First of all, how could talk about those monuments with millennia of history behind them in such a vulgar way? Second, why was he saying that she didn't want to be with him? And finally, had she made him feel like she was neglecting him?

She let her anger pass away, and started to realize what Darien really wanted, she was starting to understand what he meant with him wanting to be with her. She then understood that Darien, unlike herself, deep down was a pretty romantic guy. Once she understood it, she had an idea, but she wanted to surprise him...

Not long after, Darien was also regretting their argument. He carefully walked to the bed, climbed on it, and slowly crawled over to the other end, where Serena was lying under the white sheets. He uncovered his wife, and gave him a massive hug.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear, "I've been a jerk..."

"So have I," she murmured back. "What do you say about us going out for dinner, and then taking a moonlight walk on the beach?"

"Pardon me?" he said, amazed.

"After all it's our honeymoon, it not an archaeological expedition! Let's postpone tomorrow's tour so we can lie down on the beach the whole day!"

"You're not serious, are you?" said Darien brightening up.

"This is the most serious I've been I my whole life, love."

And so the matter was resolved and looking back over their honeymoon, Darien could only say that it was the best trip he had ever taken. Sure, most of the days were full of walking, and seeing old buildings, but his wife was always with him and some days they just stayed on the beaches to relax and enjoy each other's companies.

"Jeez, Sere, what's up with this food today?" Darien asked jokingly. "It sucks!"

"Well if you really think is sucks, why don't you go and cook your own food, in fact you should hire a cook because is you continue to fck around like you do now, I will eventually be fed up with you and I will pack my bags."

"I was only joking, Serena."

"Well, I wasn't," she answered with a disgusted expression, an expression with was on her face since he sat down to eat.

"What's the mater with you today?" he questioned irked. "Oh no, let me take that back and rephrase it: What's the matter with you always, and especially today? Why they hell are you always so cynically sarcastic? I thought it would go away once we got married, but it didn't, and today it's particularly worse."

"Fck you, Darien!" she blurt out violently standing up, she was vexed. "Who are you to lecture me about my behaviour, when yours is worse? If my ways don't suit you, well fine! I've got my own money, you know, it's not a problem for me to move out! Because, let me tell you this...I am almost twenty five years old, my background is made up, I am not going to change any time soon! Look at yourself first, you disgusting btch!"

"Who the hell-" Darien shouted, stopped himself, and went on in a lower volume, "Why the fck are you calling me such names? What is wrong with my behaviour? I rarely scream at you, I never use the kind of sarcasm that you like to use on people, I don't act like a paranoid, Serena, and I trust you. So why do you act this way toward me?"

"Because I don't trust you! And I was right in never trusting you for longer than three weeks, you man whore!"

"Why?"

"Don't think I don't know what you are doing Darien! Look at the time, it's ten thirty, you only arrived at ten, when you should have been home by six, seven at the most. Oh yes, I know I was just another business dinner with that new client (what's her name- Charlotte!)," she paused to take a breath, as Darien coloured deeply. She went on in a cynically sweet tone: "But you can't fool me, Sweetheart, the perfume that you're wearing now is not yours and it's not mine either. And, Honey, since when do you wear pink lipstick? The marks around your lips cannot be from me since I don't wear lipstick. And there is red hair all over your shirt, Sugar; could it be from...Charlotte? Have you been cheating on me, Darling?"

"Hang on there," Darien said with a steady tone, "I can explain it all."

"I'm sure you can, Baby," Serena answered "sweetly" cocking her head a little, "So lead the way, Honey. What's your story?"

"Ok," he uttered and then paused, recollecting and organizing his tale. "All right, these last few days, I haven't been lying to you, I would never do that. It is true that I was at business dinner with Charlotte, and Granddad was also with me so you can ask him too. Anyway, Granddad usually drives her back to her hotel after dinner. Today, Granddad had a really important business dinner to attend; you know with the BMW director, I told about this one. So, it was up to me to go to dinner with Charlotte today, because Granddad didn't let me handle the BMW director, as much as I begged him to. At the dinner Charlotte, was beginning to act…uh, weird, rather seductively, I would say... and after dinner, I had to drive her back to her place. When I pulled out at her place, she invited me for a glass of wine, and thinking I might just be polite, I accepted it. The wine tasted weird, it was of low quality, I have to say. I don't know what happened after that, but the next I knew I was naked, with Charlotte in her bedroom. I swear to God I haven't done anything in purpose, Serena. You know I would never to such thing..."

"That's it," she shouted going into the bathroom, "I'm not sleeping in your room tonight. And tomorrow I'll already go to file for divorce! Good night to you."

"Serena don't do it, please!"

"I'm not up to spending my life with you cheating on me all the time!" she shouted from the bathroom.

Darien walked over to the bedroom, banged the door, hit his first on the wall, and started to cry. Why did he have to be so unlucky? Or was he just destined not to have Serena? Charlotte would pay for this, he would screw up her whole career, he swore he would.

The next morning Darien woke up early as usual to make break fast. He walked across the apartment, took a shower, and was ready to go into the kitchen. As he entered the living room, he saw Serena sleeping in the sofa. Immediately he remembered the argument of the night before. He tip toed to the kitchen and made breakfast. When he was done, Serena carefully walked into the kitchen with the mourning newspaper and something else. She threw a little envelope that Darien, sat down, and started to read the paper. Darien eagerly opened the envelope; there was a note inside:

"Hey Honey,

How did you like last night? I knew you'd forget all about your little wife just as soon as you tasted my wine. You know it's a special wine...it's funny how a little amount of drug that turn things around,

Love,

Charlotte"

Darien was mad, now that was what she had done: drugged the wine, Bitch. Now he was eager to show Serena the letter.

"Serena," he said putting the note on the table in front of his wife.

"I'm not speaking to you," she answered with her face totally covered by the newspaper.

"Stop pretending to read the fucking paper, and observe the fucking note I got!"

She put the paper aside and took the note. She read it- no reaction. She read it again- "Oh" she said, "I'm sorry, I didn't know...I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Sugar," Darien said scooping his wife up, and then giving a long tender kiss.

"Serena, come on talk to me!" he pleaded, "What have I done wrong now? Just tell me, I'll make it up to you."

"I don't know how you can ever make it up to me, when you cheat on me all the time!"

"I've only cheated on you once, and even that time, it wasn't on purpose!"

"Oh yeah? Do you think I can't tell that you have something going with Beryl? Everyone else can tell, do you think I'm blind? Unlike you I still have perfect vision."

"What do you mean I have something with Beryl? I haven't seen her for ages...since Grandpa's ball, last year actually!"

"Stop lying to me!"

"But I'm not!"

"Yes, you are! I've had five different people come up to me today, asking about you two. Is there something that I have to know?"

"What about it?"

"Stop it, Darien! Stop it!" she said reaching the top stair of their room and then walking in, "Get out of my sight, Darien. Until you tell me what going on, get out of my fucking sight!"

"You should tell me what the hell the matter 'cause I don't have a fucking clue!" he shouted at her.

"Liar!" she yelled at him and threw her pair of high heels at him. One shoe hit Darien on the chest the other he dodged with the door.

After having banged the door, Darien walked downstairs to his study. He locked the door and sat down behind a heavy desk. He buried his head on his arms trying to shake off horrible flashbacks that were haunting him. But all he could see now was his mother. He saw her throw her heels at his dad, and he saw his dad walk to his Library and lock himself there for hours. The scene was played repeatedly in his mind. He was hurting inside, the scar that he had hidden, buried for years had been discovered, and Serena had opened it.

Suddenly the scenes changed. He remembered how one night when his father was locked up in the library, his mother started to pack her bags. He remembered that she made a phone call, and in a quarter of an hour a man badly dressed, and not shaved came to pick her up. He took her bags, and she followed him into the luxurious car. She didn't even say goodbye to his father. Instantaneously, after seeing that special scene flash by, fear gripped him. He feared for his marriage, but there was nothing he could do- he was going to lose her, he faced the facts. He was going to lose the woman of his life, he began to cry. A cry that expressed fear, sadness, and loss.

Serena too, was crying upstairs in her room. She lay in her bed, and cried herself to sleep. She woke up a couple of hours later, and was trying to figure out why she was so angry with Darien. She recalled the whole evening: It was Mr. Chiba's eighty fifth birthday and there was a ball again. Nothing was wrong until a strange blonde woman walks up to her and asks what was going on between Beryl and Darien. That was when she noticed that Darien was not beside her, and that he was chatting to Beryl. She didn't mind that, she only started to mind their chatting when four more people asked her about the same thing. She didn't know what they were talking about and thought that there was something going on. But as she though about it, she could find nothing wrong with their chatting. Yes it was true that they have been together before, but now he was married. He was allowed to have girl friends like she had boy friends. Darien never complained about her having so many male friends.

She sat up and went to the study. She pressed the doorknob but it was locked.

"Darien? Are you there? Open the door..." she shouted. No one answered her.

"Darien? I know you're there! I'm sorry..." No answer still.

"I'm sorry, Honey, let me in!" she tried again, but was as unsuccessful as the first time. At this moment she lost patience and broke the door. She walked in and found Darien crying (still). She carefully walked over to him, knelt beside his chair and gently hugged him. "I'm sorry, Darien. I was so jealous..."

"There is no point, Serena," he said still not looking at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Our marriage won't work; we should end it before we hurt other people than only us two."

"Why are you saying that?"

"I saw my parent's marriage end. It was exactly like this one, I know what is going to happen for the next two years before you leave me. You're going to keep throwing your heels at me, like my mom did. And then one night you're going to disappear, and I'm going to be very sorry."

"That's not true! How can you say something like that? I'm never going to throw shoes at you anymore, I promise," she said softly understanding that he was hurting. Right then, she remembered the story he told her in the hospital. "I'm never going to trade you for a rock star, never! I'm just scared you'll leave me for someone else..."

"You don't trust me."

"But now I do! I do trust you! I promise I'm never going to suspect you, but just don't want to lose you..."

"Why, I'm going to lose you, not vice versa."

"Look, Darien, how are you going to lose me if I'm not planning to leave you...ever? Our marriage isn't like your parent's, trust me. We're different from them; you're forgetting a little detail here that might change the whole picture: I love you."

Darien could not help but to smile through his tears. Serena just knew what to say, even if she sometimes had the ugliest mouth ever. Right now, he had to lift her onto the desk and kiss her, a long passionate kiss. Nope, she was right his marriage wasn't like his parent's, because his parents never said sorry to each other.

"I'm sorry too," he whispered breathlessly to her, and she kissed him once again.

Darien and Serena were on a road trip around England, during the following summer. Darien was thinking in terms of what a nice couple they were, but there was something missing he thought. He soon figured that he wanted a child. He wanted someone that would symbolize their love. He decided to make his thoughts known.

"Sere, what would you say if I said that we should have a kid?"

"What?" she shouted in shock, "You're kidding me!"

"No I'm not!"

"Hey, you are actually serious!" she realized. "I don't want to have kids."

"Why not?"

"Because," she had to pause and think about it, then she went on, "I'm too young!"

"No, you're not! You're twenty-nine!"

"So what if I'm twenty-nine? I don't want any kids. Just because you want some, it doesn't mean that I should obey you. Besides, it will be I who will have to take care of the baby, feed it, and change his dippers. You're just going to be at work all day; you won't have to worry about anything, while I'll have to give up my writing for a year of two. Oh no, I'm not giving up my writing, I'm not having kids! Not for the next three years anyway."

"You don't have to do any of it; I'll just take vacation from work to do it!"

"Oh sure, like I would believe you! Nope, you would go running back to work after the second night the baby wakes you up in the middle of your sleep!"

"No I wouldn't! I would love the baby more than you would."

"How can you say such thing when I will be the person putting it into the world?"

"You don't seem to want it so much," Darien concluded. "But now you're arguing again!"

"Me, arguing? YOU'RE arguing, not me!"

"How am I arguing?"

"You started it!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did, you told me you wanted a baby!"

"But I didn't start arguing!"

"Oh yes you did! You always start arguments!"

"Stop! Time out!" Darien said. "Let's not argue, please!"

"Ok! When do you want it?"

"What?"

"The baby!"

"I thought you said you didn't want a baby!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

"I didn't!"

"Then what did you say?"

"I said I'd think about it, and I've thought about it now," she invented. "I want a baby, but you'll have to share jobs with me."

"Oh, I will, I will," he said kissing his rebel wife.

And that was the last argument the Chiba couple had for a fairly long time. For years, they fought only tiny battles. The baby, Renie, named after Serena, was the symbol of their love, as Darien had wanted her to be. Darien stayed away from work for two years to help Serena to take care of Renie. During these two years, Serena wrote her third book in her trilogy. So far Darien, Serena, and Renie live happily ever after.

The End


End file.
